A systematic review of governance principles in sport
Canadian Sport Governance Code
Signaling Change: Exploring Gender EDI and HR Management Practices, Board Gender Composition, and Board Outcomes in Non-profit Sport Governing Bodies
Opening the “Black Box”: Exploring Board Decision Making in NSOs in Multi-Level Governance System
Female volunteer community sport officials
Volunteer officials play a crucial role in facilitating and supporting grassroots sports. Despite increasing participation of women in sports worldwide, there exists a notable discrepancy in female participation as volunteer officials at the community level. This gap can be attributed to 4 key themes: motives, barriers, supports, and retention, shedding light on the factors influencing…
Beyond the scoreboard: Sport’s role in climate action
In recent years public awareness and concern about climate change have significantly increased. Organizations are increasingly acknowledging and addressing the direct link between their operations and climate change, embracing initiatives from paper straws to carbon offsets. However, as climate impacts intensify globally, and with both governments and corporations falling short of making sufficient progress on…
The Board, the Chair, and the CEO: Role clarification within sport governance
Organizations deserve exemplary governance. And yet, few boards perform at this level. I believe every board wants to shape a meaningful future for the organization it is governing. If it is do this a board needs to achieve 3 outcomes through its governing system: This requires the board to be proactive, not reactive, and to…
Recruiting, retaining and supporting volunteers in a changing sport system
Paul Varian is a sport-management consultant and thought-leader with experience at all levels of the sport sector, from community and amateur sport to large national governing bodies. Throughout his long career in sport, Varian has served as the Chief Executive of the Irish Hockey Association, President and CEO of Sport BC, and Manager of the…
Volunteering in Sport and Recreation
This week is National Volunteer Week. Volunteers play a important role in the day-to-day operations for many community and non-profit organizations. Research shows that over 25% of Canadian adults volunteer in a sport-related capacity. Volunteers aid in the delivery systems for sport, recreation and physical activity programming at all levels. The contribution of volunteers helps…
Governance in membership organizations
The landscape of Canadian sport is populated by thousands of membership based nonprofit organizations. In the sporting context, membership organizations are ones in which members pay fees motivated by their interest to participate in their chosen sport (for example, a Masters athlete paying dues to a local track club). As result of that financial investment,…