Social partnership annual report 2025-26

Sport Wales and PCS have had a longstanding relationship built on mutual respect and collaboration.  The social partnership arrangements have enabled us to build on this foundation and expand the input of PCS into priority areas including the wellbeing objectives and other policy areas. 

Quarterly meetings take place between PCS and Sport Wales to discuss key matters relating to staff, policies and partnership.  Meetings can also be convened to discuss any ad hoc matters as required. 

A key change introduced during the year was a forward planner to assist social partner colleagues with planning around the expected timing of collaboration and contribution. 

Wellbeing objectives

The Sport Wales strategy is long-term in nature and outlines six strategic intents, which serve as the wellbeing objectives. The strategic intents are designed to shape the way that we work and are as follows: -

1. To be person centred: The needs and motivations of the individual lead the delivery, whether just starting out, aiming to progress or striving for excellence on the world stage.

2. To give every young person a great start: Every young person has the skills, confidence and motivation to enable them to enjoy and progress through sport; giving them foundations to lead an active, healthy and enriched life.

3. To ensure everyone has the opportunity to be active through sport: Sport is inclusive and provides a great experience for all.

4. To bring people together for the long-term: There is a collaborative, sustainable and successful sports sector, led by collective insight and learning.

5. To showcase the benefits of sport: The impact of sport is evidenced, and sport’s reach is fully understood, valued, showcased and celebrated throughout Wales.

6. To be a highly valued organisation: Sport Wales is a respected organisation, striving to overachieve by delivering an exemplary service through our valued staff.

The wellbeing objectives are reviewed annually to assess progress and to determine if they remain appropriate. This review took place in March and April 2026 and involved several staff members reviewing a summary of progress followed by a meeting to discuss the objectives and their continued relevance as well as providing an opportunity to highlight other areas of progress.  This review has involved PCS through our social partnership arrangements. 

A meeting took place with the branch Executive team to discuss the objectives and progress made, contributing to the annual review. This review has confirmed that the objectives remain appropriate.  The Sport Wales annual report for 2025-26 will, once again, be structured around these wellbeing objectives, setting out progress and identifying learning for the future. 

Helpfully, the branch Executive team have also contributed to the review of progress against the equality objectives set out in the Sport Wales Strategic equality plan 2024-2028. 

Decisions / projects of a strategic nature

A key area of development during the year has been the Sport Wales approach to artificial intelligence (‘AI’).  Sport Wales recognised the importance of balancing the opportunities that AI presents with retaining human oversight and decision-making. The first AI use policy was developed with expert input and reviewed and approved by PCS. 

Fair pay

We have continued to work closely together to ensure that Sport Wales staff are paid fairly and that good working conditions are in place. A pay award of 3.75% was made to all staff in line with the Welsh Government pay remit. Following feedback from PCS around the importance of the timing of the payment, the backdated element of this pay award was paid in December, enabling staff to see the benefit in the Christmas period.

A range of policies relating to the Sport Wales workforce were reviewed during the year and in all cases, input from PCS was sought and received.  PCS was also able to shape the policies by bringing insight from policies in place at other public bodies, including social media policies.

PCS continues to play a part in evaluating new posts through a JEGS process to score and grade based on a standardised framework.  This is valuable input ensuring that postholders are fairly compensated for their work and responsibilities. 

During 2025-26, Sport Wales has conducted a comprehensive review of procurement in order to embed socially responsible ambitions into policies and processes.  Training on the new approach, which also builds in compliance with the Procurement Act 2023.  The focus in 2026-27 will be to monitor progress and to emphasises the opportunities that socially responsible procurement can bring. 

Other priorities for the coming year will be to:

• identify key strategic decisions/projects that should be considered in partnership.
• continue to work together to deliver fair pay and good working conditions for staff in Sport Wales.
• review the progress and continued relevance of the wellbeing objectives.