‘For the game, for the world’: An analysis of FIFA’s CSR initiatives

Woods, Chelsea L.; Stokes, Ashli Quesinberry

doi:10.1177/2046147x18804286

Cited by 9 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 99 publications

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“…Thus, uncertainty prevails regarding how FIFA frames their corporate responsibility for the treatment of workers due to a lack of direct intervention in connected initiatives, as was indicated by Kirschner ( 2019 ). This, arguably, contradicts their commitments to deliver long-term positive impacts (Woods and Stokes, 2019 ), with FIFA's policy and principle driven approach lacking processes of enforceability and monitoring (Millward, 2017 ; Næss, 2018 ; McGillivray et al, 2019 ). It would appear, from a network perspective, the SC have the administrative and financial resources at their disposal (Rhodes and Marsh, 1992 ; Olsson and Hysing, 2012 ), particularly through government connection, to influence direct action for associated workers.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Sustainability Strategy: Human Rights Governance in the Tripartite Network

O'Rourke¹,

Theodoraki²

2022

Front. Sports Act. Living

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The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) has faced constant accusations of human rights violations associated with World Cup Qatar 2022, with prominent media coverage and international football team demonstrations. This study aims to analyze and discuss the approach taken by the tripartite policy network of actors, namely FIFA, Qatar's Supreme Council (SC), and the Local Organizing Committee (Q22) for the creation of the the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Sustainability Strategy (hereafter WCSS22) published in January 2020. The WCSS22 represents the first time FIFA has clearly articulated its responsibility in connection with impacts that are linked to the construction and operation of World Cup stadia and facilities, in line with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs). The strategy was also the first to be planned and delivered jointly by FIFA, the SC, and the Q22. Qualitative Content Analysis (QCA) of documents associated with the WCSS22 was performed to answer the following research questions: a) What are the recurrent features of the policy formulation and design process and what role do the UNGPs play? b) How do FIFA and the other policy actors contribute and position themselves in relation to human rights? c) What form did governance (interdependence, interactions, regulated rules, and steering) take in the policymaking process? The study establishes that there are four recurrent features of policy formulation and design: 1) a collective, systematic, and diverse policymaking approach, 2) emphasis on leveraging internal resources and external input, 3) the building foundation of best practice principles, guidelines, strategies, and existing initiatives, and 4) inconsistency on decision-making and accountability measures. FIFA contributes to policymaking primarily through their existing statutes, human rights policy, and commitments to mitigate negative human rights impacts. Furthermore, specified actions, and mechanisms for construction workers' living and working conditions and recruitment processes are articulated by the SC, who take a more prominent role in worker initiatives. Q22, although involved in collective action, and participating in workers welfare, takes a more peripheral role in the policymaking process. In conclusion, it was found that the tripartite policy network of actors represents a participant-based governance approach with cohesive policy formulation, varied resources at their disposal, inconsistencies in accountability measures and with the lead network role dependent on specific actor initiatives and commitments.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Sustainability Strategy: Human Rights Governance in the Tripartite Network

O'Rourke¹,

Theodoraki²

2022

Front. Sports Act. Living

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“…Given the significant and often negative impacts that major sporting events bring to the countries where they take place, including high costs and persistent environmental challenges, many organizers of these events, such as the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), have started to adopt CSR practices, in an attempt to reduce society's negative perceptions (Woods and Stokes, 2019). Since the holding of the Football World Cup in Germany, in 2006, there has been an increase in social and environmental initiatives around the organization of tournaments (Stahl et al ., 2006).…”

Section: Literature Review and Hypothesesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Corporate social responsibility of sports clubs: what do supporters think?

Tavares,

Borges,

Miguel Vieira

et al. 2023

SBM

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PurposeThe authors intend to contribute to the lack of information about corporate social responsibility (CSR) in sports verified in the literature. The main purpose is to understand what the supporters' perceptions of CSR practices in sports clubs are and how these initiatives influence some of their attitudes towards the clubs they support.Design/methodology/approachUsing a total sample of 142 supporters, the study hypotheses were tested with PLS-SEM structural equation modeling.Findings The authors conclude that CSR initiatives have a positive influence in the supporters' perception of the club and contribute to the positive word-of-mouth communication about the club. The results also show that these initiatives do not have a significant influence on the supporters' intention to become or remain paid members of sports clubs.Originality/valueIt should be noted that research on CSR in the national sports context is scarce, which increases the importance of its contribution to the literature in this area.

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“…For example, cause-marketing initiatives that exaggerate the donation amount made by the corporation mislead the public into thinking the impact of the corporation’s efforts is greater than it really is (Carlson and Le, 2017). CSR should be genuine such that the outcomes of the CSR are truly impactful and positive for the communities in which they exist (Woods and Stokes, 2019). The ethical imperative of these communications mean that CSR is an ethical concern for public relations practitioners (Bortree, 2014).…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Does your corporation “care”? Exploring an ethical standard for communicating CSR relationships online

Harrison

2021

Public Relations Inquiry

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A qualitative content analysis of corporate social responsibility (CSR) webpages of top-ranked corporations was conducted to determine the ethical nature of online communications surrounding nonprofit partnerships. Are corporations giving nonprofits their fair share of online publicity? All CSR-related webpages from the top 30 Fortune’s 500 Most Admired Corporations for 2017 were examined. Ethical principles from public relations communications regarding open, honest, and transparent information sharing guided textual analysis. Evidence shows that CSR website communications often engage in self-promotion rather than genuine and mutually beneficial support for nonprofit partners. Through corporate branding of CSR activities, advertising through philanthropy stories, and exploiting employee volunteerism and donations, the balance of CSR relationships tilts heavily in the corporation’s favor. Yet, public relations practitioners have a special calling to be the “ethical conscience” of their organizations. Understanding how corporations can provide ethical communications about their nonprofit partners helps guide ethical voice of the practice. This study is unique for looking specifically at the ethics of corporate CSR communications themselves and for addressing the nonprofit perspective of CSR, which is often overlooked. While nonprofits may benefit from CSR relationships, this article shows that opportunities for mutually beneficial communications about these relationships may be lacking.

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‘For the game, for the world’: An analysis of FIFA’s CSR initiatives

Cited by 9 publications

References 99 publications

The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Sustainability Strategy: Human Rights Governance in the Tripartite Network

The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Sustainability Strategy: Human Rights Governance in the Tripartite Network

Corporate social responsibility of sports clubs: what do supporters think?

Does your corporation “care”? Exploring an ethical standard for communicating CSR relationships online

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