Panel: Diversity in sport - what should the future look like?

Viveen Taylor (Chair), Director of Equality Diversity and Inclusion, Sport England
Sue Anstiss MBE, CEO, Fearless Women Ltd
Pippa Britton, Double Paralympian, Speaker, Consultant & Mentor
Dr Karl George MBE, Managing Director, The Governance Forum Ltd

Chaired by Sport England’s Director of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, this panel discussion brings together speakers with a huge store of experience to discuss the challenges and opportunities for the sector as it continues to improve diversity in the leadership of organisations, making them representative of society and achieving better outcomes in decision making, engagement and social equity.

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About the speakers

Viveen Taylor

In January 2021 Viveen was appointed as Sport England’s first director of equality, diversity and inclusion. In this role Viveen is leading Sport England’s overarching approach to tackling inequalities in sport and physical activity to enable the organisation to deliver on strategic aims and purpose whilst also working to ensure that those who lead and deliver sport and physical activity in England reflect the nation they serve.

Viveen first joined Sport England in August 2018 and has been heading up their work helping those in lower socio-economic groups to live more active lives, after an extensive career helping marginalised and disadvantaged communities.  

Passionate about social justice, she started her career in local government in Manchester before moving to lead Hulme City Challenge, one of the government’s first regeneration programmes, supporting single parent families move into work.

This was followed by a move to the voluntary sector where, over a course of more than 25 years, she's actively engaged and supported excluded communities to not only have a voice, but to empower them to create lasting change.

Viveen's appointment came just days after Sport England placed tackling inequalities at the heart of their new 10-year Uniting the Movement strategy and forms a crucial part of their work to give opportunities to people who may otherwise miss out on being physically active.

Sue Anstiss

Sue Anstiss has been a pioneer in British women’s sport for over 30 years. A founding trustee of the Women’s Sport Trust, and co-founder of the Women’s Sport Collective, in 2018 Sue received an MBE for her services to women’s sport. Sue’s award-winning podcast The Game Changers celebrates trailblazing women in sport.

Having run a sports PR agency for 26 years, Sue is now CEO of Fearless Women, a company with a powerful ambition to drive positive change for women’s sport.

Sue was recently appointed as a member of the RFU’s new Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Group, established to support the RFU with its goal of driving rugby union in England to reflect the diversity in society.

Pippa Britton

Pippa Britton is Wales most successful archer. She is a double Paralympian who competed on the GB archery team for 15 years and who represented the Welsh able-bodied team on more than 20 occasions. She achieved podium places at 6 consecutive World Championships and 24 International events and gained 11 world records along the way.

Whilst competing she became the first para-archery athlete committee member at World Archery, representing archers all over the world, and after retiring moved into governance. She is now the Vice Chair of UK Anti-Doping and was Chair of Disability Sport Wales before joining the Board of Sport Wales as Vice Chair in 2017. She also contributes to the British Paralympic Association Classification Advisory Group and the International Paralympic Anti Doping Committee.

Her passion is working with organisations towards greater inclusion, improving equity and increasing disability awareness, all with well-being and fairness at the heart.

Dr Karl George MBE

Dr Karl George MBE is a thought leader and internationally established consultant in governance, with over twenty-five years’ combined experience in accountancy, business and strategic development. An accountant by profession, he is a visiting professor and established author.

He is a passionate and inspiring conference speaker, favoured by many organisations to bring issues and events to life. He is often recalled by hosts time and again based on his assured ability for engaging content and delivery.

Karl regularly speaks at conferences, board away days and workshops on a range of subjects, notably corporate governance; board behaviour, trust and ethics; diversity in the boardroom; housing and championing community engagement and causes.

Blessed with a gospel like ability to make otherwise challenging subjects raise the roof, Karl can lift spirits and energy in rooms full of ten or a thousand people.