1. WHITE FLAG NATIONAL STANDARD
Leisure Facilities

2. Ireland Active is… A members representative body
A not for profit organisation, limited by guarantee
To provide support and services to professionalise our industry through standards and best practice
To develop synergies to engage
More People I More Active I More Often

3. The White Flag National Standard is a leisure industry management framework for best practice and industry standards.
3 Sections:
Safety,
Hygiene, Maintenance & Environment
Customer Service
3 Awarding levels: - Gold
- Silver
-Bronze
Open to any Ireland Active facility member

4. Benefits of participating
Protect the Industry's reputation
Provide best practice guidelines to your business
Protect your brand & reputation
Ensuring water quality standards and good pool management
Manage energy and water costs effectively
Benchmark against your peers

5. PROCESS
Register online - All applications are made on line
Login details for application will be provided to every current member
Complete and submit application
Provisional status of award– pending verification audit
Verification Audit
Surveillance Audit – unannounced - a random selection throughout 2014/15

6. COMPLETING THE APPLICATION FORM
Criteria are broken down into questions and are laid out with Yes/No options
A selection of criteria are mandatory and must be attained in order to be eligible for entry (e.g. Garda Vetting)
When questions have been answered at each level, the higher level questions become active
‘Save answer’ function is available throughout the process up to your final submission
Once you have submitted your application, you cannot amend the data and no further evidence will be considered no non conformances going forward

12. REPORTING
Results are generated automatically and can be downloaded and printed for your records
League table – post awards ceremony a comprehensive breakdown of results will be available on the Ireland Active website
If the auditor’s findings do not comply in full with the submitted application, you can only be awarded points for the evidence that is presented on the day of the audit

16. POINTS TO NOTE
All criteria at bronze level must be attained in order to achieve the standard – 100%
At silver and gold levels 70% and 60% respectively must be attained across the criteria – NO non conformances
On submission of application, your provisional status will be determined. This is pending, subject to verification audit
Cost 750 Euro payable on application payment methods: credit card and PayPal only

17. Facility Responsibility
White Flag Coordinator
Facility Manager
Each facility should appoint a coordinator to be the point of contact for all issues relating to White Flag National Standard
The facility manager should be aware and be responsible for submission of the completed application
Facility for continuous improvement action plan following your application submission

18. Ireland Active’s Role White Flag Point of Contact - Suzanne Murphy
Auditors – ISO 9001 Trained
Jury – Independent panel of industry experts
Appeals Process – see FAQs

19. Annual Awards Ceremony
Location: Galway (Oct/Nov)
All facilities will be awarded their 2014 White Flag National Standard awards
Industry recognition awards in the following sectors:
Leisure*
Hotel*
Accessibility
Supplier of the year award
(*Award via automatically generated league table)

20. Thank you… For taking the time to attend this briefing For listening
Q &A