The Collingwood Football Club has today publicly released the 12-month review of work arising from the Do Better Report.
The report is available on the club’s website.
One of the 18 recommendations of the original “Do Better” Report was a 12-month review of the Club’s progress.
The Jumbunna Institute, led by Professor’s Larissa Berendt and Lindon Coombes, have conducted the 12-month independent review and provided that review to the Club.
Collingwood CEO Mark Anderson said the 12-month review was about holding the Club to account through an external assessment to ensure that the work of Do Better was progressing.
Over the past week the club’s leadership & players involved in the work have shared the review’s findings with its players, staff, members and sponsors. In his first home match speech, Collingwood President Jeff Browne, provided an update and affirmed his and the Board’s commitment to this important work.
Jeff Browne’s speech can be viewed at President statement.
Anderson said the Club was pleased that the review showed that the work the Club was doing was promising, and that every level of the Club was engaged in the challenge of cultural and organisational change. The engagement and commitment to the work will continue
The review has noted that the club has made ‘significant and genuine progress’ on many of the recommendations.
The review also noted that while substantial work is underway, real cultural change takes time, dedication and persistence.
“We know that the work to eliminate racism and to build a strong diverse and inclusive culture does not have a finish line,” Anderson said.
“But the review does give us confidence that we are on the right track, and the whole Club at every level is committed to doing better.
“We are very fortunate in having our Expert Panel lead this work and we have established an Internal Advisory Group featuring players and staff. The whole of club approach from the top down, bottom up will continue with the total support of the Board and leadership of the club.
“The 12-month review has looked at the Club’s program of work, including establishment of the Expert Advisory Group, implementing the Do Better values throughout the Club, creating a sub-committee to oversee the work, new policy including a whistleblower policy, appointment of a GM of Social Impact and Policy, audit and updating of employment policies, developing a framework for tackling complaints, ongoing training and the establishment of a Truth Telling process to deal with past harms.
“As one of the Club’s staff interviewed for the report has said – ‘None of us are kidding ourselves that there isn’t a long, long way to go – but everyone’s leaned into that, all of our people want to do better and be better.’ For me, that says it all, and I look forward to the next 12 months of this important work.”
