The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has announced the appointment of Katie Carr as the Director of Environmental Sustainability and Tom Baker as the Director of Social Impact.
These new positions, funded by the Racing Foundation and overseen by industry working groups, aim to support the long-term strategy of British horse racing by enhancing its role in local communities and addressing environmental challenges.
Katie Carr, a former member of the Goodwood Group, will lead the development of an industry-wide plan to ensure the future of horseracing and breeding can meet environmental challenges.
Her responsibilities will focus on mitigating climate change risks, adapting operations to meet legal obligations and public expectations, and leveraging existing expertise in natural environment management.
Tom Baker, seconded from the British Horseracing Board to the BHA for a year, will work on setting collective goals for British horse racing's societal and community engagement.
As part of this, he will collaborate with organizations like “Racing Together” and “Racing to School” to maximize the sport's positive impact on local communities and society as a whole.
Alison Enticknap, BHA’s Director of Strategy and Change, in her remarks on these appointments stated, “I am delighted to welcome Katie and Tom to these new positions. Both possess specific knowledge, understanding, and expertise in their respective fields, as well as valuable experience in the horseracing industry—qualities essential for these cross-industry coordination roles.
As we continue to shape the long-term strategy for the industry, environmental sustainability and social impact have been identified as priority areas for British horse racing.
Many individuals, organizations, and charities have done considerable good work in this area, and with the support of the Racing Foundation, we can strive to identify what needs to be done at an industry level to support and accelerate progress.”
