Member bodies show support for Good Employment Week

Together with the Equestrian Employers Association the British Grooms Association today celebrates start of the annual Good Employment Week.

The aim of the week is to raise awareness of the importance of employing legally, fairly, and kindly, and to take steps toward making our industry a more attractive place to work.

Employing legally is not a choice and an employer has a responsibility to ensure that everything is done correctly to protect you and themselves.

We thank British Equestrian, The British Horse Society, British Eventing Official, British Dressage, British Showjumping and HorseScotland for playing their part shining the light on this important issue.

Through a series of advocacy statements, member bodies highlight the importance of Good Employment in the equestrian industry.

"At British Dressage, we believe that a positive employment experience is essential if we are to attract the highest calibre of individuals to work within the equine sector.  

Good employment practices, supported by quality training, education and development are all vital to retain the best staff, who are equipped with the right skills, knowledge, and experience, to do the job to the best of their ability.

We have recently launched apprenticeship-based education routes in both horse management and business, with added value qualifications and workplace experiences.  BD is committed to supporting employers by providing apprenticeship placements through the scheme, to achieve the best practice standards included in the Equine Employers Association's Code of Good Employment.

Any business or organisation, no matter how big or small, is only as good as the staff that it employs.  Employees must always be respected and valued, but it’s also important that everyone’s contribution is recognised and rewarded too.  We continue to work closely with the EEA and other industry partners to promote working environments in dressage that offer the same high standards that we aim to achieve as employers ourselves."

Jason Brautigam, CEO, British Dressage

"Good employment should be a basic fundamental for all businesses, not just in the equestrian sector. This is not only about following the law but also about instilling principles, underpinning standards and best practices across the sector that will ensure we prosper an environment where people have equal access to quality work that is inclusive, fairly compensated, offers security and flexibility and cultivates an environment where health and wellbeing thrives for all involved.  

I really believe that all employers across Scotland want to be viewed as and work towards being not just Good but Great Employers. By improving their employer practices they can  attract and retain great staff. In instances where there are examples of bad employment, the underlying reasons need to be understood and the organisation supported to improve as the impact can be two fold,  First, the business can struggle to retain staff and in the worst case, may become unsustainable. The second is the negative impact it can have on all those involved, both the employers and the employees. 

We, together as a sector, need to strive for the equestrian industry in Scotland to be an attractive industry that draws in and retains talent, supporting businesses to enable, develop and excel with both the employers and the employees flourishing and contributing to the growth and sustainability of equestrianism in Scotland."

Lucy Barclay-Carr, CEO, Horse Scotland

"Employees are any company’s greatest asset and must be respected, valued, and appreciated – none of us would compromise on equine welfare and wellbeing, and our staff should be no different.

Good employment practices and a positive work environment are imperative to any successful enterprise, and anything less will undermine all the good and hard work elsewhere. No matter how large or small your business, employees must be your priority."  

Jim Eyre, CEO, British Equestrian

"Good Employment matters on many levels, legal requirements are not a choice and must be adhered to protect yourself, your business, and your reputation.

Happy workplaces lead to people wanting to stay in their jobs and helps toward developing the sustainability of the wider workforce – whether working at show centres, in competition, or training yards. 

We need to be confident that anyone that employs staff and is involved in our sport of Showjumping is a Good Employer and that our sport is a happy and healthy place for people to have careers – anything less than this is not acceptable.

We want to see our sport as a place that is a good place to work regardless of your role – if employees aren’t happy, it affects their motivation and can affect the motivation of those around them too."

Iain Graham, CEO, British Showjumping

"We are delighted, at British Eventing, to once again be an advocate of the Good Employment Week campaign being driven by The Equestrian Employers Association (EEA). 

The pivotal role that support staff play in both the success of the sport and equine welfare can never be underestimated. As employers, we should all be doing more than simply employing staff within the legal requirement; we have a responsibility to also ensure that they feel valued, inspired, encouraged, and listened to.  The Good Employment Week campaign should be applauded, and we welcome the opportunity to play our part in sharing its message."

Rosie Williams, CEO, British Eventing

"At the British Horse Society, we believe that a career in equestrianism is one of the best opportunities to work in an industry which you can be truly passionate about.

We are advocators of good employment, and that means not just adhering to the minimum legal requirements but going the extra mile to create a great working environment for your team. Our BHS Approved Centres will often pay above the statutory minimum to reflect an individual’s skills and qualifications, they will also encourage people to develop and grow their knowledge and qualifications. Working with horses is fun and good employers will also provide a safe and engaging environment in which every person feels confident, supported and part of the team."

James Hick, CEO, BHS