In play we are equal, in life less so…

Anyone who has witnessed children playing in water has seen how their interactions together ignore what makes them different, enabling a unique display of unity and acceptance. We have much to learn from the openness of children, to see people, not colour or creed. We embrace this acceptance and have made it our mission to create joyful memories for all families around the world. In water parks, we design experiences to create joy for all people, equally. 

What is clear is that while in play, children see no differences, life outside the park gates is a very different experience for millions who are discriminated against because of their race, identity, or sexuality. The injustice and inequality suffered by so many has been brought into focus during the last few weeks and it appalls us. It has caused us to question our own understanding for not recognizing the prejudice and inequity prevalent in our society sooner.

​WhiteWater’s company culture, the growth mindset of the Vertical Journey, teaches us to ‘face everything’ which includes an acknowledgement of how things like white privilege and bias contribute to exclusionary environments.  We speak over 20 languages and celebrate the multicultural nature of our organisation, but we recognise that diversity needs to be better reflected in our management. We do not claim to have a multitude of solutions to a systemic societal problem, but we are, together with our employees, actively working on how we can identify unintended workplace inequities and address them.

We have started a conversation about how race, and discrimination, in many forms, is felt by our people and how we can start to mitigate it and begin the process of lasting change. We commit to building upon our culture, driving greater inclusivity, and removing any unconscious bias, from hiring to promotion processes to vendor selection. WhiteWater will listen and learn, committing to being a force for change to make our world more equal. 

Una DeBoer