Otago Cricket, supported by New Zealand Cricket (NZC) Board Chair Martin Snedden and Board member Anna Campbell, Dunedin Multi Cultural Council and others, hosted a Diversity and Inclusion in Sport Governance forum on Sunday 11 September. The theme was Cricket – A game for all New Zealanders, a game for life.

Board members from NZC, Otago Cricket, District Associations and Dunedin clubs attended. As well as participants from Women in Sport Otago (WISPO), and our Sport Four All partners (Otago Hockey, Southern Zone Rugby League and Dunedin Netball) were amongst some of the forum attendees.

Excellent discussions were had amongst the attendees about the topics presented throughout the day. Many key themes emerged from the presentations and collaborative workshops, including:

• It is not just about the diversity of people, but the ‘Diversity of thought’
• The role and importance of governance for different sized organisation
• Active listening and open-minded thinking have influenced growth and innovation
• Professional expertise and board training have led to changed thinking in the game

Anna Campbell (NZC Board member) presented on the progress over the past six years, indicating that in 2016 there were 11 female directors amongst 220 across the boards of NZC, Major Associations and District Associations. Comparing that to the data in 2022, jumping up to 37.7% female directors represented, with the numbers breaking down to:

• NZC Board: 8 Directors, including 4 females (50%)
• MA Boards: 48 Directors, including 22 females (45%)
• DA Boards: 161 Directors, including 56 females (35%)

Campbell acknowledged the current challenges and explored the qualitative changes in governance which filters throughout an organisation, such as how things are done and how decisions are made.

A panel discussion was hosted between Tania Cassidy (Chair of Otago Hockey and Board member), Simon Hill (GM Community Cricket from Canterbury Cricket) and Lux Selvanesan (President of Dunedin Multi-Cultural Council), where they shared their insights and experiences with governance with the attendees.

*Ends.

Article added: Friday 16 September 2022