After starting his career as a youth worker, Arun worked as a BBC Radio producer for several years, before following his passion for social change and completing an MA in Promoting Equality and Managing Diversity. Arun is the CEO of Sporting Equals, and is a leading authority on Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (ED&I) having worked in the field for over twenty years.
Arun’s specialism cuts across key themes of race equality, community engagement and campaigning. He has been the force behind world leading programmes delivered via Sporting Equals that drive change. He has built up a community network of over 500 Associate Members and has worked in partnership with Nike, Sky Sports, Peloton, Comic Relief and Sweaty Betty amongst others.
For race equality, Arun developed the pioneering Race Representation Index which focuses on senior workforce diversity data of sports organisations to help identify gaps for intervention. He created the first ever Race Discrimination Support Service that provides a free legal advice service to victims of racial discrimination in sport. He is also the founder of the Sporting Equals Awards that are entering their eighth year. Arun led a successful campaign in the sport sector, to eradicate the term BAME and change terminology to be more specific.
In 2020, Arun was awarded an OBE from the Queen for his services to race equality and community engagement in sport. In 2023, Arun was presented with the Alumni Achievement Award by the University of Central Lancashire.
In recognition of his significant contribution to the promotion of equality, diversity and inclusion within the field of sport and more widely across our communities, Coventry University, conferred a Degree of Doctor of Arts, honoris causa, on Arun Kang OBE.
More widely, Arun is Director of London Marathon Events, a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and member of the Sport Integrity Global Alliance EDI Forum.
