Voluntary Code

What is the Voluntary Code of Good Governance?
 
The Sport and Recreation Alliance led an initiative to create a Voluntary Code of Good Governance for the Sport and Recreation Sector.
 
You can download a full copy of the Voluntary Code of Good Governance for the Sport and Recreation Sector here [1].
 
The Code is designed to enable sport and recreation organisations to aspire to and maintain good governance. It is a tool to help Boards perform their role by outlining seven simple principles in the following areas:

1. Integrity: Acting as guardians of the sport, recreation, activity or area
2. Defining and evaluating the role of the board
3. Delivery of vision, mission and purpose
4. Objectivity: Balanced, inclusive and skilled board
5. Standards, systems and controls
6. Accountability and transparency
7. Understanding and engaging with the sporting landscape

Each principle is accompanied with practical considerations and thinking points.
 
The Code is endorsed by Hugh Robertson MP, Minister for Sport and the Olympics, who places governance issues very high up his list of priorities. But more importantly than that, it is endorsed by sport itself.

The Code has been produced by sport for sport. It is not being imposed from above and although the Sport and Recreation Alliance has played the leading role in its development, it is not our code.

It represents a set of principles developed through consultation with a wide range of governing bodies and county sports partnerships. The ownership by the sector and the development of the code was supported by Sport England, UK Sport, the British Olympic and Paralympic Associations, SkillsActive and Birkbeck University.
 
A sports sector which observes the principles set out by the code will be a sector better equipped to meet any challenge.

We are encouraging all of our members to sign-up to the Code.  By signing-up to the Code you are confirming as an organisation that you have done the following:

• Discussed the Code at your Board meeting and achieved Board approval to sign-up to the Code and examine what the principles mean in your organisation
• Included the Code as an objective in your Strategic Plan
• Selected an individual in your organisation to take responsibility for the Code

To indicate to us that you have signed-up to the Code please download, fill in and send back the ‘We sign up to the Code’ form [2].

The Alliance have prepared some resources to help your organisation understand and sign-up to the Code.

• Factsheet of Frequently Asked Questions [3]
• Power-point presentation that you may want to use when presenting the Code to your Board. [4]

The Alliance are also happy to provide a member of the Sport and Recreation Alliance Governance team to deliver a presentation at your next Board meeting and answer any questions that may arise.  Please download the form to request a member of our team at your next Board meeting. [5]

Downloads:

GovernanceCodeFINAL.PDF_.easyprint Version.pdf [6]

Full copy of the Voluntary Code of Good Governance for the Sport and Recreation Sector.

Signing-Up template.FINAL_.doc [7]

To indicate to us that you have signed-up to the Code you should download, fill in and send back the ‘We sign up to the Code’ form.

FAQs.FINAL_.doc [8]

Factsheet of Frequently Asked Questions.

Code.Presentation for Boards.FINAL_.ppt [9]

Power-point presentation that you may want to use when presenting the Code to your Board.

Board Meeting Form.FINAL_.doc [10]

Form to request a member of our team at your next Board meeting.

Voluntary Code information Sheet.pdf [11]

Information sheet for new members on the Voluntary Code of Good Governance.