Sporting organisations required to get on board with new gender equity targets in their governance

The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) and all State and Territory Agencies for Sport and Recreation (STASR) recently announced the National Gender Equity in Sports Governance Policy (Policy). 

The Policy is aimed at increasing the representation of women in non-executive governance and leadership roles in the sporting sector in line with achieving the Gender Equity Target. 

The Gender Equity Target provides that no later than 1 July 2027, it is desired that the governance of national and state level sports organisations in Australia will have achieved a position where: 

• 50% of all board directors are women and/or gender diverse;
• a woman or gender diverse person is either the organisations Chair or Deputy Chair, therefore contributing to the overall target of 50% of chairs across the sporting sector being women and/or gender diverse; and
• 50% of specified sub-committee members are women and/or gender diverse.

Each jurisdiction will adopt its own mechanism and timelines to facilitate the implementation of the Policy. 

Who does the Policy apply to?

Unless otherwise exempted by ASC or STASR, the Policy applies to:

• all State and recognised National Sporting Organisations; 
• all State and recognised National Sporting Organisations for people with Disability; and
• organisations receiving any specified funding from relevant Government agencies (for example, recognised active organisations, recreation organisations and peak bodies). 

It is encouraged that all sporting organisations in Australia, including professional clubs, leagues and community clubs adopt the Policy and work towards the Gender Equity Target. 

What does the introduction of the Policy mean for sporting organisations?

Organisations to which the Policy applies must aim to achieve the Gender Equity Target in their organisation by no later than 1 July 2027. 

Organisations will be required to report annually on the organisation’s status against the Gender Equity Targets and their systems that ensure gender equity. 

What are the consequences if sporting organisations do not meet the targets?

The Policy states that accountability measures will be determined by the relevant Government Agency (ASC or STASR) and may include financial and/or other measures. 

The ASC website indicates that Australian Government funding is to be withheld from national organisations that do not comply. 

The impact of being subject to accountability measures that may be financial, poses potentially large implications for sporting organisations. 

So, how we can help?

The ASC and STASR are set to release resources and practical tools to assist sporting organisations in complying with the Policy and meeting the Gender Equity Target. 

As the Gender Equity Target is set for 1 July 2027, organisations will need to turn their minds to the practical impacts of the Policy, particularly taking into consideration:

• any term of appointment that existing board members or directors have;
• recruitment of new board members or directors;
• any constitutional requirements or changes;
• what policies and procedures organisations will need to implement internally to ensure compliance with the Policy; and
• any changes that may be required to the organisations existing governance processes. 

We are here to help with your organisation’s governance, compliance and practices.