London 2012 was an inspirational and memorable Olympic and Paralympic Games where everyone is invited and involved with the celebrations – regardless of age, race, disability, sexuality, gender, gender identity or belief.
After all, diversity was a key reason why London – one of the most multicultural cities in the world – was chosen to host the Games in the first place.
In keeping with our promise to make London 2012 everyone's Games, we have run a number of schemes to ensure we recruit a diverse workforce. These include the Women into Construction project, which recruited and placed women directly into jobs on the Olympic Park, and > action on inclusion, an outreach programme for BAME people.
But it's not simply about recruiting a diverse workforce. It's about the suppliers, the competitors, the officials and the spectators – in fact, everyone connected with the Games, from the security guards to the bus drivers.
To achieve our vision, we must ensure that every individual in the organisation takes responsibility for an inclusive approach and that this is fully integrated into business decisions.
Our Business Charter explains how we have embedded the principles of diversity and inclusion into its own procurement activities, as well as those of its main contractors and suppliers.
We also went to great lengths to ensure our ticketing programme was accessible to people across the UK – with tickets starting at just £20 across all sports at the Olympic Games, plus special ‘pay your age’ tickets for people aged 16 and under. For the Paralympic Games, tickets started at just £10.
These are some of the ways in which LOCOG delivered a truly memorable, welcoming and inclusive Games – everyone's Games.
