The Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland has confirmed the continuation of the Sports Governance Academy for a further five years via £1.8 million of investment from Sport England and all the Home Nations Sports Councils from December 2022. In an exciting new development for the SGA, Sport England will be joined by UK Sport, sportscotland, Sport Wales and Sport Northern Ireland as CGIUKI’s partners in the project.
The Sports Governance Academy is delivered by The Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland, the international chartered governance body, and is a governance support and development hub for the sport and physical activity sector, helping all those leading, working and volunteering in sport organisations to achieve their goals through establishing a framework for effective and fair decision making. Embracing good governance is key to building a diverse and inclusive sector where those taking part do so in a safe and positive environment.
This renewed investment underlines CGIUKI’s position as the leading cross-sectoral authority on governance in the UK. It also confirms the Sports Councils’ commitment to helping organisations become more transparent, diverse and inclusive, promoting high standards of accountability and integrity. The announcement follows on from an award in December 2019 in which CGIUKI were commissioned by Sport England to create and deliver the SGA for 3 years.
This next phase of the Sports Governance Academy will continue to deliver across its three core pillars of learning, knowledge and community. New elements will be added to develop these further, including new courses, a re-designed website to create a governance information hub for the sector, more integrated professional development opportunities, a peer-to-peer mentoring scheme and a new modular approach towards gaining CGIUKI’s valued sports governance qualification.
Networking events and regular forums will also allow those gaining their qualification with the Sports Governance Academy to connect as a community and support one another within the sector.
Sara Drake, CEO, of The Chartered Governance Institute, UK and Ireland, said:
“We are excited to be extending this unique partnership, and the opportunity it provides to offer the benefits of better governance practice to sports organisations across the United Kingdom and Ireland. The sector has truly embraced the SGA since its launch in February 2020 and has demonstrated a considerable appetite for governance development.
“We believe that effective governance delivers better decision making and incorporates the benefits of diversity and inclusion. Encouraging effective and accountable leadership will help underpin a trusted, vibrant sports sector where talent can flourish at every level. “
Jeanette Bain-Burnett, Director of Policy & Integrity at Sport England, said:
“We are delighted to see all the Sports Councils coming together to support the continued work being delivered by the Sports Governance Academy.
“With all the Sports Councils joining forces for the first time, there is now a unified view from the Sports Councils on where organisations in the sector can go for governance support.
“At a time when there are lots of issues being raised about governance in the sector, our continued investment into the Sports Governance Academy is critical to us helping support the sector to strengthen approaches to governance so that more people have a safe, inclusive and welcoming experience in sport.”
Brian Davies, Sport Wales’ Acting CEO, said:
“We want to ensure that everyone who wishes to participate in sport in Wales can do so in a safe and inclusive environment.
“We are delighted to be working with the other sports councils and the Sports Governance Academy as this collaboration provides an important and exciting opportunity to provide necessary additional governance support for the sport sector in Wales.”
John Lunn, Sport Development Head (Governing Bodies) at sportscotland said:
“This is a fantastic opportunity to work in partnership with other Home Country Sports Councils to provide support to governing bodies in such an important area of our work.
“Good governance is the foundation of a sustainable and inclusive sporting system and by working collaboratively it will ensure that we can all play our part. We know that governing bodies of sport are facing significant challenges, and this is a real chance to reflect on how we can make sport more inclusive and resilient, giving governing bodies the tools they need to deliver more opportunities for participation in sport and physical activity at every level .”
Antoinette McKeown, Chief Executive at Sport Northern Ireland said:
“Strong governance is the foundation on which successful sports organisations are built, providing a culture of trust, leadership and integrity and helping to ensure a positive experience for participants at all levels. We are delighted to be involved in the Sports Governance Academy, an exciting and innovative collaboration to provide a comprehensive range of resources to the sports sector across the UK and Ireland.
“At Sport NI we support organisations to fully understand the benefits of good governance and how this should be embedded within their sporting culture. The Sports Governance Academy is a welcome sign of further progress in developing a strong sporting culture across the sector and we encourage sports organisations in Northern Ireland to register and utilise the services available.”
Rob Morini, UK Sport Head of Sporting System, said:
“In recent years, there have been great improvements in sport governance across the sector. In the face of constant change and challenge, we must all continue to maintain high standards in this area to strengthen decision-making and build healthier, more inclusive and more resilient organisations.
“This is why we are excited to come together with all the Home Country Sports Councils in partnering with the SGA, with the aim to provide best practice governance support and guidance as well as learning and networking opportunities.
“We look forward to working with our partners to ensure a collective voice on governance matters, whilst supporting the development and health of the sector.”
For more information on the SGA partners and their rationale for delivering the SGA, visit https://sportsgovernanceacademy.org.uk/about-us/our-partners/
