In 2020, the Collingwood Football Club commissioned the Jumbunna Institute to conduct an independent review which examined the Club’s responses to racist incidents and its cultural safety as a workplace.
 
The Do Better Report resulted from that review, challenging Collingwood to take action to confront racism in Australian sport. The Report concluded with 18 recommendations which the Club adopted.
 
Collingwood has since implemented each of those recommendations and the direction of the Club’s future work will continue to be guided by the Report, specifically Recommendation 18 which states:

that the Club develop a strategy, led by its Expert Group on Anti-Racism, to share its processes and reflections with the AFL community and works to proactively support the concepts of anti-racism and inclusion throughout the code.

In March this year, the Club shared the 12-month review of the work arising from the Do Better Report which noted that the Club had made ‘significant and genuine progress’ on many of the recommendations and stated that while substantial work was underway, ‘real and lasting cultural change…takes time, dedication and persistence’.
 
A summary of key initiatives implemented since the Club received the Report are as follows:

• A 13-member Expert Advisory Group (EAG) was formed in February, 2021, and helped the Club steer the implementation of the recommendations. The EAG met on 13 occasions across a 20-month period with their final meeting held in October, 2022.

• Strategic advisor and Yawuru woman, Taryn Lee, was appointed to assist with the implementation of all 18 recommendations across the Club. Lee, currently the Club’s General Manager Social Impact and Policy, continues to lead this area of work at Collingwood.

• Club values were refreshed and informed by anti-racism principles, including a stand-alone ‘Do Better’ value: I commit to take deliberate actions to address racism when I see it.  At Collingwood we acknowledge the rights of the First Peoples of Australia, and that racism has no place in society.

• A Truth Telling Framework and Process was established, the first of its kind, to more deeply understand the experiences and the impacts racism has had on the lives of First Nations people and People of Colour and to better inform ongoing cultural change at the Club. The Truth Telling Process – which requires adherence to anti-racism principles, including the creation of a safe place, ensures those who are sharing their story are supported and protected against further harm.

• Established a joint staff and athlete ‘Do Better’ working group to help lead and embed the work within the Club.
  
  
• Developed a framework for Responding to Racism and the Club has updated its discrimination policies.
  
  
• Updated the whistleblower policy and recruited an external whistleblower provider, Your Call, to create a safe speak-out culture.

Last month, the Expert Advisory Group (EAG) held its final meeting with staff members Leon Davis and Andrew Krakouer joining to provide their insights and views of the Truth Telling Process and the Club’s broader actions.
 
Following this meeting, the EAG presented its final report to the Club Board at its November meeting with the report forming part of the next phase of the Club’s anti-racism work.
 
Collingwood President Jeff Browne said the Club would continue to use its past to inform its future in order to drive change in our game and the wider Australian community.
 
“The Collingwood Football Club remains absolutely committed to listening and learning from all players and staff – past and present – to ensure past mistakes are not repeated,” Mr Browne said.
 
“Like the wider community, Collingwood remains on a journey, and we know that the lasting cultural change we are working towards takes time and persistence.
 
“Racism is abhorrent and we will keep working towards ensuring all Collingwood environments are culturally safe – on and off the field.
 
“While we will continue to be led by our First Nations people and culturally diverse staff, it is our Club’s view that change should never just sit on their shoulders – our wider staff and athletes have a responsibility and a duty to always lead and support anti-racism.
 
“I want to thank Distinguished Professor Larissa Behrendt and Industry Professor Lindon Coombes for leading the initial Do Better review and the 12-month progress review of our Club. I also acknowledge the tireless work of the Expert Advisory Group, led by co-chairs Dr Helen Szoke and Vice-President Jodie Sizer, for keeping our Club accountable and shepherding through the work that’s required.
 
“As a Club, to go back and reflect on where we got things wrong, and to understand the perspective of the persons who have been impacted, remains vitally important.
 
“We still have much work to do as we move from doing better to doing more.”
 
Vice-President and Djab Wurrung/Gunditjmara woman Jodie Sizer said Collingwood remained absolutely determined to build on its programs and work to eliminate racism to create a better, safer, and more respectful environment on and off the field.

Sizer also noted the Club would continue to develop and progress its longstanding Barrawarn Indigenous community programs which Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Programs Manager Debby Lovett (Gunditjmara / Boandik) has led at Collingwood for seven years.

“Through the feedback from authors of the Do Better Review and the EAG’s final report, we know we are on the right path to ensuring Collingwood is a culturally safe place but by no means is our work finalised – we have only just started,” Ms. Sizer said.
 
“While what we have achieved so far is the start of the process, we know that culture can change, we know that racism can be addressed and that this combined will continue to lead to greater outcomes for Collingwood and the wider community. 
 
“As we enter this next phase of embedding the final Do Better recommendation and the final report from the EAG, we have continued to build expertise and cultural insights through appointments to our Club to further build on the work and programs that have been established.
 
“This work will require a continued commitment and continued resourcing to ensure it gets the best focus possible.
 
“The Truth Telling Process has been designed in collaboration with First Nations experts and expertise to enable no further harm and that cultural safety is embedded within the process. Truth Telling enables the Club to listen, learn and respond so that racism does not occur in the future.
 
“We want our Club and the wider AFL community to be anti-racist and we will continue to educate our people to be supported to learn and act to address racism.
 
“A deeper understanding of what racism is and its impact is required across the nation in order to prevent hurt and Collingwood remains committed to working alongside other Clubs, and the AFL, to do better and to do more.”
 
Collingwood sincerely thanks all members of the 13-member Expert Advisory Group for their dedication, passion and willingness to support the progression of our Club.

The Collingwood Football Club acknowledges the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nations as the traditional custodians of the land on which the Club is located. We pay our respects to them, their culture and Elders past and present.