Greene King is set to deliver inclusion training to more than 16,000 pub staff through a new three-year partnership with anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out and Guinness 0.0, the official non-alcoholic beer of the Premier League.
The initiative launches in March with a pilot across 900 Greene King sport pubs in England, Scotland and Wales. Training will begin with 4,000 members of the Pub Leadership Team and extend to a further 12,000 team members across the estate.
The programme aims to raise awareness of discriminatory behaviour linked to football and improve the matchday experience for all pubgoers. Pubs taking part will carry Kick It Out branding and provide customers with tools to report abuse, while staff will be equipped to deal with inappropriate language and behaviour on matchdays.
It comes ahead of a busy summer of international fixtures, with England, Scotland and other teams set to compete. In 2023, 7.5 million adults watched football in UK pubs and bars over a six-month period, according to industry data.
Research commissioned by Kick It Out shows that one in five people in Britain has experienced discrimination or harassment in a pub. That figure rises to three in five among disabled people and members of the LGBTQ+ community, with ethnic minorities more likely to report such behaviour on matchdays. Eight in ten people said pubs should be inclusive spaces, while many women reported feeling less comfortable when football is on TV.
Kick It Out Chief Executive Samuel Okafor said, “With abuse in football still common in stadiums and rising online, this bold partnership between Kick It Out, Guinness 0.0 and Greene King is a commitment to unite football and provide a sense of belonging for fans, whoever they are, and no matter which team they support.
“We recognise that there are huge audiences that watch the game in pubs each year, and we hope our leading education and reporting services can make it a more welcoming experience in such a big year for football.”
Guinness Marketing Director Deb Caldow said, “Football has always been about bringing people together, a value that’s been at the heart of Guinness culture for generations. The beautiful game is nothing without fans, and will continue to thrive when fans feel at home.
“We hope this partnership between Kick It Out, Greene King and Guinness 0.0 helps ensure everyone feels they belong, in every pub, on every matchday, at every game.”
Zoe Bowley, Managing Director of Greene King pubs, added, “Pubs are places for people to come together and feel they belong, no matter the occasion. We’re proud to be part of this groundbreaking partnership with Kick It Out and Guinness 0.0 to build on our Customer Promise and ensure that Greene King sport pubs are the most welcoming places to watch football on any matchday.”
Picture: Former striker Clinton Morrison, former goalkeeper Chloe Morgan, and Kick it Out CEO Samuel Okafor launch the Kick it Out