British Water Ski & Wakeboard were proud and honoured to be amongst the first sporting national governing bodies in England to comply with the Sport England / UK Sport A Code for Sports Governance.

As one of over 550 organisations that were assessed, it was another significant milestone for BWSW in maintaining its compliant status in terms of governance amidst an ever-challenging funding landscape.  Launched in October 2016 and dubbed ‘the most advanced sports governance reform implemented anywhere in the world’, the new Code is mandatory for all sports bodies.  It applies to any organisation seeking public funding from Sport England or UK Sport and demands the highest standards in organisational governance including increased diversity in decision making, inclusiveness in engagement, accountability, financial integrity and greater transparency.

Patrick Donovan, CEO of BWSW stated: “I am delighted that BWSW has completed this essential work and successfully evidenced its compliance with the Code for Sports Governance and that we can demonstrate that we are a fit for purpose National Governing Body.  We continue to commit to meet the new requirements in any updates to the Code.

BWSW has taken huge strides forward in restructuring and modernising its governance to streamline the decision making of the business and ensure the organisation is fit for the 21st century from a governance perspective.  As an investment partner of Sport England, it is essential that we remain compliant and ensure the organisation is able to access funding to resource the keys aims of its corporate strategy.  We very much respect the considerable investment received, whether that be public funds, commercial revenue or membership income. “

February 2023

Code Requirements Include:

• Greater transparency, enabling participants and members to better understand the decision-making of those leading their sports
• Commitments to greater diversity, including including greater female representation on our board
• Establishing boards as the ultimate decision-making authority within a sport rather than traditional councils
• Tighter term limits for board and council members to ensure a regular renewal of ideas and expertise

Governing bodies will have to remain compliant with the Code and be expected to put action plans and commitments into practice, particularly those in relation to diversity.

BWSW is committed to reviewing its governance status on a regular basis and ensuring compliance for the future of the organisation and the sport.  The code covers 5 key areas:

• Organisational Structure
• People
• Communication
• Standards & Conduct
• Policies & Processes

View the Latest Version of the Code

Annual Report

You can view the activities of our most recent season in our Annual Report in the footer of this page.