Stories of corruption, mismanagement and other governance failures have overshadowed the fact that there are many well-governed organisations in our sector.
The negative exposure has, however, pushed the need to improve governance standards up the agenda for many sport and recreation organisations and progress is already being made.
To help you assess your organisation’s governance practices and the progress you have made, we have created the Good Governance Benchmarking Tool for signatories of The Principles of Good Governance for Sport and Recreation (for more information on signing up to the Principles, please refer to the video below).
The Benchmarking Tool is for organisations of all shapes and sizes and will help you measure against the key aspects of good governance, as listed in The Principles.
How the good governance Benchmarking Tool can help you
The Benchmarking Tool is an online self-assessment that will help identify the strengths and weaknesses of your organisation’s current governance practices and where needed, suggests improvements.
The Alliance governance team will analyse your organisation’s results and prepare a summary report which will include recommendations for further action. The report will help inform board members about how their behaviours effect the organisation. It will also outline how well the board is working together.
By using this Benchmarking Tool and implementing the recommended actions, your organisation will be able to demonstrate a commitment to good governance and accountability to stakeholders. It will also help make sure that the governance systems and processes in your organisation are working effectively.
Why it’s important to get your governance on track
A high standard of governance is one of the key factors that creates a successful and sustainable organisation. Every sport and recreation organisation should know how good their governance is but many struggle to identify this internally. This is why we have created the Benchmarking Tool.
While good governance cannot resolve every issue in your organisation, it is a good starting point.
What you can do as a director
Good governance is an ongoing and continuous process driven by effective leaders and a robust decision-making process. Even if your organisation has limited resources, doing nothing is not an option we recommend. The free Benchmarking Tool helps signatories of The Principle implement good practice, regardless of the resources at their disposal.
Board directors should take the lead on improving their organisation’s governance by regularly revisiting and updating governance arrangements. Taking action to address the gaps and making improvements is in board directors’ hands, and will show your stakeholders that your organisation’s governance is sound and complies with best practice.
The Benchmarking Tool is free of charge for signatories of The Principles. If you wish to find out more about how to use it, please contact me directly on msikorowska@sportandrecreation.org.uk.
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Read the statement from Sport and Recreation Alliance CEO, Lisa Wainwright MBE.
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International Women’s Day serves as a reminder of the importance of gender equality, not just in society at large, but in all sectors, including sport and recreation. While progress has been made in many areas, there remains a glaring need for greater representation of women in leadership roles, particularly on boards and as chairs of sports organisations.
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Joining the Sport and Recreation Alliance is pretty simple, but worthwhile!
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