Greetings IRONMAN community,
It has been a couple months since we began our journey of reflection and growth and I want to share with you an update on the progress we’re making towards The IRONMAN Group’s renewed commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion both within the sport of triathlon and inside our own walls.
Since our announcement in June, we have been actively listening, learning and surrounding ourselves with experts to help build a foundation for our Race for Change sport equity program and our internal Diversity and Inclusion workforce program. We are asking tough questions of ourselves, our sport and our practices.
The mission of Race for Change is to improve equity for our athletes, in our sport and in the communities where we train and race. Our racial equity initiatives will touch every part of our organization, influencing everything we do. As the CEO, the program sits on my desk because if change is going to happen, it needs to start with me and permeate throughout our entire organization.
We are at a critical stage in our build: the creation of our Race for Change Advisory Council. We are excited and overwhelmed by how many of you, our athletes and community members, have committed to being involved in this initiative. If you are interested in representing, leading and building Race for Change, please be sure to complete the form found at www.ironmanfoundation.org/raceforchange before Wednesday, September 23. Likewise, if you are interested in serving on a committee, supporting the program or contributing in any other way, please use the same form. Everyone is welcome.
In addition to building our Advisory Councils, we are in the process of evaluating various consulting groups who as dedicated subject experts will, among other things, lead a training program on equity in our sport for the council. They will additionally help in obtaining baseline data through anonymous surveys of our athletes and employees, to help us establish our foundation and ultimately measure progress.
There is much more to do but we are excited to see what we can achieve and build together. As I told our team during our last town hall, we still have a lot of listening, learning and action ahead of us. Progress starts with tough questions, reflection, and a willingness to grow, and we are committed to doing the necessary work.
Stay healthy and well and I look forward to providing additional updates soon. If you have questions or need assistance, please email us at raceforchange@ironman.com.
Andrew Messick
President & CEO
The IRONMAN Group