Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport

The Risk and its Impacts

Failure or inability to align or comply with federal goals and programs, leading to reduced funding, reputational damage, and inconsistent athlete development.

Strategies

• Create a committee to identify opportunities.
• Identify gaps by capturing what is currently being done through a sport for development lens.
• Participate in Imagine Canada’s accountability standards program.
• Conduct a third-party assessment of organizational alignment to identify gaps and weaknesses.
• Clearly identify Report Card deficiencies and assign and operationalize actions to mitigate them.

The Risk and its Impacts:

Operational procedures are not fully developed, consistent, or do not meet minimum legal requirements.

Strategies:

• Schedule a regular review of all internal processes.
• Create a task force with assistance from an external consultant.
• Create a staff Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) manual.
• Develop a protocol and policy to manage intellectual property.
• Integrate Imagine Canada standards.
• Conduct risk assessment when stepping outside standard operations or procedures.
• Use organizational values when making decisions.
• Create clear job descriptions and organizational chart to ensure confidence.
• Perform cost benefit analysis between hiring and re-organizing.
• Ensure all organizational information is secure and is regularly backed up.
• Host regular all-staff meetings to share updates and answer questions.
• Have access to passwords in case of emergency.
• Have an elected staff member as a representative for compliance regulations.

Communication Strategies:

• Communications strategy should be focused on how to manage expectations.

The Risk and its Impacts:

Insufficient organizational leadership, poor governance, membership dissatisfaction, and failure to deliver quality programming to members.

• Develop a formal Board of Directors recruitment and application process that is led by a Governance or Nomination Committee.
• Prepare detailed job/role descriptions for all Directors and Officers.
• Create and maintain a board Manual that includes duties, responsibilities, board schedules, document access, strategic direction, governing documents and rules, conduct guidelines, insurance, etc.
• Develop Board Member Agreements/Contracts that address Board conduct, conflict of interest, intellectual property and confidentiality.
• Develop a standardized new Board Member orientation process.
• All Board of Directors’ members must complete the Governance Essentials E-Learning Course as part of their onboarding.
• Use professional groups to assist with board talent recruitment.
• Establish board performance objectives and complete performance reviews.
• Identify what motivates board members (i.e., professional development, team culture, recognition) and use this information to retain them.
• Identify and groom key leaders (i.e., through committee work) for future Board opportunities (talent ID and development).
• Plan and schedule recognition of board leaders.
• Develop and maintain a succession plan for all Board of Directors’ members.

The Risk and its Impacts:

Lack of formal procedures for selecting coaches and other team personnel, lack of clarity around screening volunteers and staff lead to unsafe environments for national team activities.

Strategies:

• NSO has both formal and informal procedures for screening coaches and other personnel.
• Develop a Travel Risk Policy Suite to identify safety procedures and standards for travel, accommodation, and supervision for teams.
• Personal coaches are restricted to very narrow responsibilities, which are clearly outlined.
• Institute more formal selection procedures to select coaches for teams, involving application, portfolio, and interview components.
• Implement ten safe steps of screening with all national teams, including police checks, using a phased approach. See Volunteer Canada: www.volunteer.ca.
• Create and adhere to formal volunteer selection criteria. Provide volunteer job descriptions and expectations.
• Conduct team personnel evaluations annually and at the conclusion of major trips.
• Interview team athletes to identify their satisfaction with team personnel and any issues.
• Conduct an environmental scan of branches, clubs, or other sports to ensure any potential personnel are not red flagged in other areas.

The Risk and its Impacts:

Failure to adopt or use a relevant strategic plan to its full advantage, leading to misuse of resources, lack of direction, and lack of corporate accountability.

Strategies:

• Develop a communications plan for Board of Directors and general membership that clearly identifies strategic goals and objectives and highlights mission, vision, and values.
• Integrate priority strategic items into operations plan.
• Use strategic plan as a guide when assessing the feasibility of new projects.
• Undertake a regular environmental scan to monitor and plan for risk.
• Adopt a Management by Values approach to daily operations. Reference values in decision-making and team discussions.
• Conduct an annual evaluation to assess the use of the strategic plan and the achievement of strategic objectives.

The Risk and its Impacts:

Failure to adopt or use a relevant strategic plan to its full advantage, leading to misuse of resources, lack of direction, and lack of corporate accountability.

Strategies:

• Develop a communications plan for Board of Directors and general membership that clearly identifies strategic goals and objectives and highlights mission, vision, and values.
• Integrate priority strategic items into operations plan.
• Use strategic plan as a guide when assessing the feasibility of new projects.
• Undertake a regular environmental scan to monitor and plan for risk.
• Adopt a Management by Values approach to daily operations. Reference values in decision-making and team discussions.
• Conduct an annual evaluation to assess the use of the strategic plan and the achievement of strategic objectives.

The Risk and its Impacts

An event such as a pandemic, war, natural disaster, terrorist attack, economic depression, or other unforeseeable crisis causes the sport system to collapse or pause, which significantly impacts participation, athlete development, revenue, programming, staffing and organizational operations, and achievement of strategic goals and objectives.

• Develop a Crisis Management Plan that is aligned with other plans and policies.
• Acquire a list of trusted external advisors who can support the organization through a crisis (legal, trauma, risk management, communications, etc.).
• Manage crisis or incident via a Management by Values approach.
• Identify key spokesperson(s) and define key messaging in consultation with executive leadership.
• Expand online engagement opportunities to keep members engaged and staying relevant.
• Develop financial contingency and reserve funds to buffer potential losses of revenue.
• Develop new policies, procedures, and forms that address the incident (i.e., return to play, facility protocols, screening forms, travel consent).
• Access government funds to diversify programming and sustain operations.

The Risk and its Impacts

An event such as a pandemic, war, natural disaster, terrorist attack, economic depression, or other unforeseeable crisis causes the sport system to collapse or pause, which significantly impacts participation, athlete development, revenue, programming, staffing and organizational operations, and achievement of strategic goals and objectives.

• Develop a Crisis Management Plan that is aligned with other plans and policies.
• Acquire a list of trusted external advisors who can support the organization through a crisis (legal, trauma, risk management, communications, etc.).
• Manage crisis or incident via a Management by Values approach.
• Identify key spokesperson(s) and define key messaging in consultation with executive leadership.
• Expand online engagement opportunities to keep members engaged and staying relevant.
• Develop financial contingency and reserve funds to buffer potential losses of revenue.
• Develop new policies, procedures, and forms that address the incident (i.e., return to play, facility protocols, screening forms, travel consent).
• Access government funds to diversify programming and sustain operations.

The Risk and its Impacts:

Corporate data is leaked, hacked, lost, or held ransom resulting in loss of business continuity, financial damage, reputational damage, and potential litigation.

Strategies:

• Develop a Crisis Management Plan to address a cyber attack or ransomware scenario.
• Conduct annual review of data storage and office storage processes (third-party management of website and registration system, firewalls, server usage, locks and safes, password protections, etc.).
• Review contracts with third party vendors and intentionally discuss any issues experienced and their response to those issues.
• Reach out to cyber security experts and conduct a cyber security audit or all organizational data.
• Review insurance policy(s) and ensure coverage for IP loss and data protection, and cyber security coverage.
• Connect with other NSOs/PTSOs/MSOs to learn about their best practices and experiences.
• Centralize IP storage (with proper security) to mitigate the loss of IP that is stored on various cloud platforms.

The Risk and its Impacts:

Not being able to determine or decide which projects or programs to prioritize, and which to decline or discontinue.

Strategies:

• Use part-time staff, temporary staff, or contractors when appropriate.
• Explore partnership opportunities with PTSOs to complete projects.
• Invest only in programs that further the organization’s mission and vision.
• Review strategic plan to reconcile which current priorities are relevant to the plan.

The Risk and its Impacts:

The risk of a weak governance structure at the board level.

Strategies:

• Create a formalized process of board member training and evaluation.
• Review sub-board committee structure to ensure alignment to strategic plan.
• Identify a process of board recruitment and selection that reflects the organization’s vision, mission and values.
• Identify possible leaders with targeted skills and expertise for board members.
• Undertake regular environmental scan or SWOT analysis (Strength/Weakness/Opportunity/Threat) to monitor and plan for risk.
• Create a governance manual which outlines current policies and procedures, as well as relevant job descriptions which carry executive authority.
• Develop a succession plan for board, senior staff, and key volunteers.
• Develop a communications plan to clearly show how the board makes decisions.
• Use organizational core values to enhance decision making (Management by Values approach).
• Board of Directors’ members must complete the Governance Essentials E-Learning Course as part of their onboarding.