New RIDC Research Will Focus on Employment, Access, Inclusion, and Belonging in the Running Industry
As part of RIDC’s 5-year strategic plan, the organization is partnering with Bentley University to gain helpful insights from underrepresented runners in the U.S.
The first research project currently underway, supported by New Balance, focuses on the current state of diversity with regard to road running participation and employment in the running industry.
The second research project starting soon is supported by Altra, Brooks, On, Patagonia, Salomon, Saucony, Smartwool, and Strava and focuses on access, inclusion, and belonging in trail and road running and unmet product needs.
RIDC's mission is to achieve racial equity in the running industry and running culture. It is imperative to understand both the qualitative and quantitative baseline measures so that we can demonstrate changes over time while holding the industry accountable for diversity, equity, and inclusion.
We believe that a truly equitable and inclusive running industry should have levels of racial diversity that match national demographics and that are mirrored in all facets of the industry; including participation, employment, leadership, and ownership.
There will be opportunities in the coming months to help these projects by 1) participating in the research: giving RIDC and the research team access to hiring and retention data, 2) sharing surveys with targeted audiences, and 3) using outcomes from this research to make the running industry more accessible for all.
Keep reading to learn more about both projects!
Objectives For Research Project #1:
Source statistics to outline the current racial and ethnic composition of running participation in the U.S.
Source statistics to outline the current racial and ethnic composition of running industry employment, leadership and ownership in the U.S.
Analyze and compare the current state of diversity within running participation vs. the current state of diversity within running industry employment, leadership, and ownership
Statistics will be utilized to:
Measure and track progress annually with regard to racial and ethnic representation in running industry employment, leadership, and ownership
Measure and track racial and ethnic representation in running participation annually
Help organizations in the running industry create goals, build action plans, and measure progress
Research Team:
Erin Flynn, Professor - Bentley University
Fikayo Babatunde - Account Manager/Retail Business Group, NPD
Jenna Klein Jonsson - Partner, Blaze Partners
Shelle Santana – Professor, Bentley University
Rachel Donnellan – Research Assistant, Bentley University
Ramiro Aguirre – Research Assistant, Bentley University
Objectives For Research Project #2:
Identify barriers to access for Black, Indigenous and people of color in trail and road running participation
Identify barriers to safety and inclusion for Black, Indigenous and people of color at trail and road events and during unorganized participation
Identify unaddressed needs for Black, Indigenous and people of color in the creation of trail and road products
Provide recommended strategies to:
Transform the trail and road culture to create safer experiences and a sense of belonging for the Black, Indigenous and people of color communities, both during events and during unorganized participation
Increase participation of Black, Indigenous and people of color at trail and road events and in unorganized participation
Develop products that meet the needs of the Black, Indigenous and people of color community with their feedback in mind
Research Team:
Erin Flynn: Professor, Bentley University
Shelle Santana: Professor, Bentley University
Fikayo Babatunde - Account Manager/Retail Business Group, NPD
Jenna Klein Jonsson - Partner, Blaze Partners
RIDC Leads For Both Projects:
Kiera Smalls: RIDC Executive Director
Chris Lampen-Crowell: RIDC Board Co-Chair
Alison Mariella Desir: RIDC Board Co-Chair
Shannon Woods, RIDC Board Member
John Benedict, RIDC Board Member
Research Assistant TBD (someone who is part of an underrepresented group in the running industry)
