One year on from the 2021 "Do Better" report, the Collingwood Football Club has been given a 12-month review of its progress since the initial report.
Professors Larissa Berendt and Lindon Coombes, of The Jumbunna Institute, conducted the 12-month independent review and recently provided their findings to the club.
Within the review, which on the large spoke positively about the Magpies' response to the initial report, the Institute stated: "Following (the review of Collingwood's progress), we can conclude that Collingwood is making promising progress on the implementation of the recommendations."
The Institute also declared: "The leadership and courage of Collingwood to first commission the Do Better report and to ask the Jumbunna Institute team back one year later to independently review their progress shows commitment to a robust process that must be acknowledged."
CEO Mark Anderson made the following statement about his club's advancement:
"We know that the work to eliminate racism and to build a strong diverse and inclusive culture does not have a finish line.
"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."
To read the full progress report, click HERE.