What is ‘Sport Governance’?

• Ensuring legal obligations are met and appropriate policies are in place

• Putting an organisation in a position to control and plan for the future in a sustainable way

• Imbedding structures, processes, systems and behaviours to help the organisation and the sport run better

Good sport governance is to lead an organisation effectively to ensure not only that the organisation itself is well run but also that the activity and the environment of the sport can grow and develop in a controlled and sustainable way.

The National Occupational Standards define Sports Governance as:‘to lead and manage an organisation so that is creates, maintains and improves the structure and environment in which sport and physical activity is delivered’.

What are we being asked to do?

• The Sport and Recreation Alliance are asking members to sign up to the Code

• We are not being asked to tick or commit to achieving everything that is detailed in the Code

• We are being asked to sign-up to the Code in an aspirational way

• We are being asked to look at each of the principles of the Code and to make them work in a way that works for our organisation

• We are being asked to self-regulate how well we are doing in terms of practicing the principles of the Code

Why is the Code relevant for us?Organisation Specific Background and Context for your Board

Insert here:

•A summary of how you think your organisation has performed in relation to governance in the past

•An example of where your organisation has already been practicing some of the principles of the Code

•How you think the Code could be used by your organisation in the future

What is the Code?

• A tool to help Boards perform their role

• Provides ‘Seven Principles of Good Governance’ for the Sport and Recreation Sector

• Suggests practical considerations and thinking points for each Principle

• A voluntary code of practice for sport and recreation organisations that is not linked to funding and not designed to be a one size fits all mandate

• A dynamic document that allows organisations to set the standards of what good governance looks like for them under each of the Principles provided

Created by the Sector, for the Sector

Why was the Code created?

• Deloitte’s (2003) Investing in Change Report identified a need for one single vision of good governance for all sport and recreation organisations to aspire to

• The Dutton Inquiry recommended that sport and recreation organisations needed to take ownership of their governance in a positive way to prevent regulation and government intervention

• Prevent more red tape being imposed on sport and recreation organisations and allow them to govern their own future

• NCVO played a role in creating the Voluntary and Community Sector Code of Good Governance and recognised that sport and recreation organisations were unique and needed a sector specific code

What will the Code help us do?

• Self Regulationillustrate commitment to good governancereduce the risk of external regulation or legislation

• Sustainable development thrive beyond the working lifetime of current administrators

• Reassurance to stakeholders credibility with participants, funders and commercial partners

How was the Code created?

Created by the Sector, for the Sector

Sport and Recreation Alliance Governance Stakeholder Group

Partner Organisations

Sector-wide consultation

Endorsement by Minister for Sport and the Olympics

Comprising of nine NGBs (small voluntary led and large funded organisations) Identified a need for one single governance vision

Supported by Birkbeck University, British Olympic Association, British Paralympic Association, SkillsActive, Sport England and UK Sport

NGBs, CSPs and representative bodies fed in responses to a consultation and the Code was re-drafted based on the views of the sector

Welcomed commitment to good governance from the sector and urged organisations to embrace the Code

Why is sports governance unique?

• Governance beyond the organisation – in sport and recreation organisations governance extends outside the organisation to the wider environment and includes anti-doping, safeguarding, integrity and equality policies to name a few

• Voice of the Athlete/Participant – involving the participants in governance is a unique and important feature of governance in sport and recreation organisations

• Role for Sport Heroes – a role for former athletes needs to be created in the governance structure to ensure their experiences and knowledge can be shared appropriately and acted upon

• Passion of volunteers – strategic and operational roles will be carried out by volunteers and they will need tools to help achieve these aims

• Inclusivity of the sector – the governance of the organisation must reflect everyone and including its sport or recreation members

Organisation SpecificYou may want to add what makes governance unique in your organisation

How can we use the Code?

• Not as a checklist

• Apply the Code in a flexible way

• Define what each Principle means for our organisation and create our own blueprint of good governance based on the Seven Principles

• Use the Principles as a rationale and stimulus to examine and improve governance structures

• Measure our own success in terms of governance

• Define how we help to clarify the role and function of the Board

Use the Principles as an aspirational plan and a step-change; Not all or nothing

The Principles

The Principles

Do we want to sign up to the Code …What does signing-up to the Code mean?

•Achieving Board approval of the Code

•Including the Code as an objective in the organisation’s strategic plan

•Selecting an individual to take responsibility for the Code

•Sending a letter to the Sport and Recreation Alliance to confirm commitment to working on achieving the principles of the code

There is no timeframe for implementation but signing up to the Code is a statement of intent to maintain or improve governance standards in our organisation.

Signing up to the Code is not saying we have done everything – it is more an aspirational sign-up that we will work towards achieving the Principles in a way that works for us.

Do we want to sign up to the Code…

What are the benefits to signing-up to the Code?

•Demonstrating to members, funders and partners that we are taking governance seriously and are a well run organisation

•We will be able to access help and support in maintaining and improving our governance

•We will be working on the same basis as other like minded sport and recreation organisations and will benefit from the sharing of best practice

•Aid the recruitment of skilled, knowledgeable volunteers and staff

•We will be able to benchmark our own success in terms of governance

Ensure a sustainable, successful, and self-governing organisation