Adopting the Integrity Code
Adopting the Integrity Code
Adopting the Integrity Code
A guide to adopting the Integrity Code
This guide helps you work through the steps to adopt the Code of Integrity for Sport and Recreation (the Integrity Code).
The guide will help you:
understand if your organisation can or should adopt the Integrity Code
understand how to adopt and implement the Integrity Code, including deadlines, complying with minimum standards and what it means for organisations and participants
carry out the formal adoption process
develop and execute a plan to meet the minimum standards.
Steps to adoption
There are five key steps to adopting the Integrity Code.
Understand: Understand the benefits of the Integrity Code and get familiar with the minimum standards.
Plan: Make your adoption plan and timeline, including minimum standard requirements and constitutional changes.
Implement: Get started early, especially on meeting the minimum standards. Review and update policies and inform your members about upcoming changes.
Adopt: Notify the Commission that you intend to adopt, make constitutional changes and formally adopt the Integrity Code. Keep your members informed.
Grow: Maintain updated policies and continue to develop your culture of integrity.
You must comply with minimum standards 1–4 12 months after you formally adopt the Integrity Code.
You must comply with minimum standards 5 and 6 on your adoption dates.
Read a text description of this diagram.
Formal adoption process
This takes some planning, and you need to work out how ready you are to start the process. You need provide us with information about how prepared you are, and you need to comply with all six minimum standards within 12 months of adopting the Integrity Code.
Read a text description of this diagram.
Minimum standards
The key parts of the Integrity Code that help to protect participants and create safer and fairer experiences are the six minimum standards that organisations must meet to comply with the Integrity Code.
You need to work out what your organisation needs to do to meet minimum standard requirements. You can start working on it before you adopt the Integrity Code.
For most organisations, this work will be significant and time-consuming, but an early start will make the adoption process run more smoothly.
We have created policy templates and guidance to help you meet the minimum standards.
Minimum standard 1: Prohibit behaviours that are a threat to integrity
Your organisation must have and implement a policy to prohibit certain behaviours (eg, sexually harmful behaviour, child abuse, competition manipulation, bullying, discrimination and violence)
Download the prohibited behaviour policy template (DOCX 99.6KB)
Find out how to implement and comply with minimum standard 1Minimum standard 2: Proactively safeguard children, young people and adults at risk
Complying with the requirements of minimum standard 2 will likely require the most time and effort. Your organisation must have and implement policies that:
require people who work with children, young people or adults at risk are safety checked and complete annual education on safeguarding
specify safe and inclusive practices for children and adults at risk (eg, coaching, travelling and overnight stays, taking and sharing images, and changing rooms)
appoint a safeguarding lead at a national or regional level to oversee implementation of these requirements.
Your organisation must also have a child protection policy to identify, report, and respond to suspected or real cases of child abuse, child sexual abuse and child neglect.
Download the child protection policy template (DOCX 152.7KB)
Download the safeguarding policy template (DOCX 132.7KB)
Find out how to implement and comply with minimum standard 2Minimum standard 3: Implement an effective and fair dispute resolution process in relation to threats to integrity
Your organisation must have and implement policies for an effective and fair complaints and dispute resolution process. The policies must:
specify the dispute resolution process, including how to make a complaint or disclosure, and steps to quickly resolve them
specify a process for sanctioning participants who have engaged in prohibited behaviours
recognise the Commission’s role and the appeal rights to the Sports Tribunal.
Download the dispute resolution policy template (DOCX 125KB)
Download the disciplinary policy template (DOCX 125KB)
Find out how to implement and comply with minimum standard 3Minimum standard 4: Notify the Commission of issues of serious concern
Your organisation must have and implement policies to notify the Commission:
of issues of serious concern
when a participant is sanctioned.
Download the mandatory notification policy template (DOCX 92.9KB)
Find out how to implement and comply with minimum standard 4Minimum standard 5: Cooperate with the Commission in relation to dispute resolution, investigations and monitoring activity
Your organisation must cooperate with the Commission, including to resolve matters, providing information or documents required for an investigation, and providing information to help the Commission assess your compliance with the minimum standards.
Minimum standard 6: Provide information to your members about the Integrity Code
Your organisation must provide information to help its members and participants understand and implement the Integrity Code. This includes:
informing them they are bound to the Integrity Code
access to any policy that implements the Integrity Code.
Privacy requirements
Your organisation must comply with the Privacy Act 2020 when you are dealing with personal information. We have prepared a privacy policy template that covers your privacy obligations generally as well as the specific requirements for the Integrity Code. You may need to tailor it to reflect your organisation’s specific functions and activities.
Download the privacy policy template (DOCX 89KB)
Contact us
We have a dedicated team that can provide guidance, support and resources to help you navigate the adoption and implementation process.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 0800 378 437
A guide to adopting the Integrity Code
This guide helps you work through the steps to adopt the Code of Integrity for Sport and Recreation (the Integrity Code).
The guide will help you:
understand if your organisation can or should adopt the Integrity Code
understand how to adopt and implement the Integrity Code, including deadlines, complying with minimum standards and what it means for organisations and participants
carry out the formal adoption process
develop and execute a plan to meet the minimum standards.
Steps to adoption
There are five key steps to adopting the Integrity Code.
Understand: Understand the benefits of the Integrity Code and get familiar with the minimum standards.
Plan: Make your adoption plan and timeline, including minimum standard requirements and constitutional changes.
Implement: Get started early, especially on meeting the minimum standards. Review and update policies and inform your members about upcoming changes.
Adopt: Notify the Commission that you intend to adopt, make constitutional changes and formally adopt the Integrity Code. Keep your members informed.
Grow: Maintain updated policies and continue to develop your culture of integrity.
You must comply with minimum standards 1–4 12 months after you formally adopt the Integrity Code.
You must comply with minimum standards 5 and 6 on your adoption dates.
Read a text description of this diagram.
Formal adoption process
This takes some planning, and you need to work out how ready you are to start the process. You need provide us with information about how prepared you are, and you need to comply with all six minimum standards within 12 months of adopting the Integrity Code.
Read a text description of this diagram.
Minimum standards
The key parts of the Integrity Code that help to protect participants and create safer and fairer experiences are the six minimum standards that organisations must meet to comply with the Integrity Code.
You need to work out what your organisation needs to do to meet minimum standard requirements. You can start working on it before you adopt the Integrity Code.
For most organisations, this work will be significant and time-consuming, but an early start will make the adoption process run more smoothly.
We have created policy templates and guidance to help you meet the minimum standards.
Minimum standard 1: Prohibit behaviours that are a threat to integrity
Your organisation must have and implement a policy to prohibit certain behaviours (eg, sexually harmful behaviour, child abuse, competition manipulation, bullying, discrimination and violence)
Download the prohibited behaviour policy template (DOCX 99.6KB)
Find out how to implement and comply with minimum standard 1Minimum standard 2: Proactively safeguard children, young people and adults at risk
Complying with the requirements of minimum standard 2 will likely require the most time and effort. Your organisation must have and implement policies that:
require people who work with children, young people or adults at risk are safety checked and complete annual education on safeguarding
specify safe and inclusive practices for children and adults at risk (eg, coaching, travelling and overnight stays, taking and sharing images, and changing rooms)
appoint a safeguarding lead at a national or regional level to oversee implementation of these requirements.
Your organisation must also have a child protection policy to identify, report, and respond to suspected or real cases of child abuse, child sexual abuse and child neglect.
Download the child protection policy template (DOCX 152.7KB)
Download the safeguarding policy template (DOCX 132.7KB)
Find out how to implement and comply with minimum standard 2Minimum standard 3: Implement an effective and fair dispute resolution process in relation to threats to integrity
Your organisation must have and implement policies for an effective and fair complaints and dispute resolution process. The policies must:
specify the dispute resolution process, including how to make a complaint or disclosure, and steps to quickly resolve them
specify a process for sanctioning participants who have engaged in prohibited behaviours
recognise the Commission’s role and the appeal rights to the Sports Tribunal.
Download the dispute resolution policy template (DOCX 125KB)
Download the disciplinary policy template (DOCX 125KB)
Find out how to implement and comply with minimum standard 3Minimum standard 4: Notify the Commission of issues of serious concern
Your organisation must have and implement policies to notify the Commission:
of issues of serious concern
when a participant is sanctioned.
Download the mandatory notification policy template (DOCX 92.9KB)
Find out how to implement and comply with minimum standard 4Minimum standard 5: Cooperate with the Commission in relation to dispute resolution, investigations and monitoring activity
Your organisation must cooperate with the Commission, including to resolve matters, providing information or documents required for an investigation, and providing information to help the Commission assess your compliance with the minimum standards.
Minimum standard 6: Provide information to your members about the Integrity Code
Your organisation must provide information to help its members and participants understand and implement the Integrity Code. This includes:
informing them they are bound to the Integrity Code
access to any policy that implements the Integrity Code.
Privacy requirements
Your organisation must comply with the Privacy Act 2020 when you are dealing with personal information. We have prepared a privacy policy template that covers your privacy obligations generally as well as the specific requirements for the Integrity Code. You may need to tailor it to reflect your organisation’s specific functions and activities.
Download the privacy policy template (DOCX 89KB)
Contact us
We have a dedicated team that can provide guidance, support and resources to help you navigate the adoption and implementation process.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 0800 378 437