The Premier League enters into its OWN diversity programme after complaints from several of its clubs

The Premier League has entered into its own diversity programme – after complaints from some of its clubs.

All top-flight sides signed up to the competition’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Standard (PLEDIS), which was launched in 2021. 

It grades clubs on their work in the area and ‘provides a framework to help clubs progress EDI across all areas of their business’. 

However, Mail Sport has been told that a number of irritated sides challenged the Premier League on how its own EDI was being monitored, and they subsequently signed up to the scheme that they set up.

League insiders are adamant that the decision to register was theirs, as they thought it ‘was the right thing to do’. 

Three levels of score are involved – preliminary, intermediate and advanced. 

All top-flight sides signed up to the competition’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Standard, which was launched in 2021. (Pictured: Premier League CEO Richard Masters)

It is understood that in its first assessment the league scored at the lowest – preliminary – level, although those insiders have insisted that all of those who join the programme start at the bottom and work their way up, regardless of the quality of their EDI work.

Throughout the PLEDIS process, clubs submit evidence to show they are hitting a range of targets across various areas of their operations, including policies and procedures, leadership, learning and development, promoting inclusion and tackling discrimination. 

Assessments are described as independent and, according to the Premier League ‘become progressively more challenging as clubs move between the levels of achievement’.

Inspections are carried out at clubs, where an assessor meets with various members of staff including equality leads, board members and EDI steering groups. 

Clubs then submit a report and are grilled for 60 minutes by a panel which then delivers its verdict.

One source from a top-flight club, who did not wish to be named, said: ‘A lot of the clubs felt like they were having to jump through hoops. Some felt it was a bit rich that the Premier League was overseeing this but didn’t seem to be answerable about its own organisation – and so made that point to them.’ 

PLEDIS takes in the Equality Act 2010 that ensures people are not discriminated against on a variety of grounds including age, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment and ethnic group.