Rangers launches new inclusion & diversity campaign

Rangers launches new inclusion & diversity campaign

The Rangers has just launched a ground-breaking campaign, ‘Everyone Anyone’ which aims to unite people from all backgrounds, cultures and communities. This new initiative will promote Rangers as a modern football club through which fans can come together and support a common cause – equality for everyone.

“Valuing diversity, inclusion and equality should be vital to the ethos of any organisation” – Connal Cochrane, Rangers Charity Foundation Director

THE CAMPAIGN

In collaboration with the Rangers Charity Foundation, the Rangers FC will work across the club to champion diversity, encourage tolerance and understanding, and promote positive behaviour as part of this ambitious new strategy. Rangers is for everyone and anyone and the club will build on the campaign’s launch by rolling out a series of diversity and inclusion events at Ibrox Stadium, the Hummel Training Centre and within the wider community throughout the year and beyond. Supported by the club’s Diversity and Inclusion Working Group, which was launched in 2017 with staff and external representatives from a wide range of groups and communities, Rangers will develop new, and enhance existing, initiatives via a comprehensive diversity and equality strategy.

The club values its relationship with the country’s local and wider communities and wishes to create a positive environment, ensuring Rangers truly is for everyone, anyone, everywhere, anywhere. This campaign will send a clear message of zero tolerance to all forms of discrimination, on and off the pitch and everyone is invited to join the club in support of one of the world’s largest and most successful clubs.

THE REACTIONS

Rangers Managing Director Stewart Robertson was supported by politicians Pauline McNeill, Anas Sarwar and Frank McAveety, manager Steven Gerrard, first-team and academy players, club legends, fans, and staff to announce this hugely significant programme.

Rangers’ Board of Directors is fully behind ‘Everyone Anyone’ and Chairman Dave King said: “I am delighted and immensely proud to unveil this important and extremely relevant campaign. Everyone Anyone is an all-encompassing initiative designed to highlight the similarities between the broad spectrum of supporters worldwide regardless of age, ethnicity, faith, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability and health. We may have different backgrounds and beliefs but supporting Rangers is the bond which unites every single one of us. We want to create an environment where everyone feels valued, safe, welcome, and wanted. Supporting Rangers should break down barriers and Ibrox should be a place where diversity, unity and inclusion are strengthened through the friendships football can create.”

Rangers Managing Director Stewart Robertson added: “Supporters are the lifeblood of the club and we believe positive fan behaviour and tolerance can be enhanced through this campaign as we all have one shared passion – Rangers. We have a rich history of success and achievement but we should also be regarded as a modern, balanced and fair football club which opposes all forms of anti-social and discriminatory behaviour, including bigotry, racism, sectarianism, homophobia and sexism. The club has a chance to make a real impact and we are determined to do more than pay lip service to this initiative. This is Rangers and we have to reach out and embrace everyone and anyone.”

Manager Steven Gerrard said: “This is such a massive club which has an important role to play in bringing people together. Rangers is a vital part of the fabric of Scotland and our campaign sends a clear message that no one should be excluded. Supporting Rangers means we are all part of the same family. We stand together proudly in support of our club and our diversity.”

Rangers Charity Foundation Director Connal Cochrane commented: “Valuing diversity, inclusion and equality should be vital to the ethos of any organisation and today’s announcement recognises this responsibility. This is a landmark moment for the club. The campaign and strategy behind it represents an exciting opportunity to celebrate diversity, inclusion and equality and to enshrine it at the heart of the club. The Foundation’s commitment in this area is firmly established and we look forward to contributing to both the Everyone Anyone campaign and to the delivery of the wider diversity and equality strategy. We have been developing the Everyone Anyone campaign for more than a year and all our diversity and community engagements will now be celebrated under this one banner.”