CSR in professional European football: an integrative framework

Abstract

The increasing importance of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in professional football leads to the demand for a sector-specific framework for strategic CSR integration that takes the particularities of football into account. Based on CSR frameworks and a literature review, we analyse 72 academic papers on CSR in football and sports to develop our integrative framework. The framework consists of four dimensions that reflect values-based management: a normative, a strategic, an operative and a superordinate level. We find that a broad variety of drivers push clubs to develop CSR strategies. Despite this heterogeneity in drivers, the six key areas of CSR in football we identified are: (1) communities, (2) human capital, (3) fans and members, (4) the commercial environment, (5) compliance and (6) the ecological environment. Our contribution provides future studies with a framework for investigating CSR in football, and clubs with a concept on how to integrate CSR strategically.

Acknowledgement

The authors would like to express their appreciation for the reviewers and editors of the paper.

Notes

1. See Babiak and Wolfe, ‘Determinants of Corporate Social Responsibility in Professional Sport’; Bradish and Cronin, ‘Corporate Social Responsibility in Sport’: Filizöz and Fişne, ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’; Flöter, Benkenstein, and Uhrich, ‘Communicating CSR-linked sponsorship’.

2. See Breitbarth et al., ‘Scoring Strategy Goals’; Kolyperas and Sparks, ‘Corporate Social Responsibility Communications in the G-25 Football Clubs’; Walters and Anagnostopoulos, ‘Implementing Corporate Social Responsibility’.

3. Zeigler, ‘Sport Management Must Show Social Concern’, 297.

4. See Baumgartner, ‘Managing Corporate Sustainability and CSR’; Klettner et al., ‘The Governance of Corporate Sustainability’; Maon et al., ‘Designing and Implementing Corporate Social Responsibility’; O’Riordan and Fairbrass, ‘Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): Models and Theories’; O’Riordan and Fairbrass, ‘Managing CSR Stakeholder Engagement’.

5. Bowen, Social Responsibilities of the Businessman.

6. Carrol, ‘The Pyramid of Corporate Social Responsibility’.

7. Dahlsrud, ‘How Corporate Social Responsibility is Defined’, 4.

8. The European Commission, ‘A Renewed EU Strategy 2011–14 for Corporate Social Responsibility’, 6.

9. Freeman, Strategic Management: A Stakeholder Approach.

10. Walker and Kent, ‘Do Fans Care? Assessing the Influence of Corporate Social Responsibility’.

11. Godfrey, ‘Corporate Social Responsibility in Sport’.

12. Babiak and Wolfe, ‘Determinants of Corporate Social Responsibility in Professional Sport’.

13. Sheth and Babiak, ‘Beyond the Game: Perceptions and Practices of Corporate Social Responsibility’.

14. Inoue et al., ‘CSR and the Bottom Line’.

15. Trendafilova et al., ‘Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Sustainability’.

16. Schulenkorf et al., ‘Sport for Development’, 23.

17. Whittemore, ‘Combining the evidence in nursing research’, 56.

18. Whittemore and Knafl, ‘The integrative review’.

19. Ibid.

20. Schulenkorf et al., ‘Sport for Development’, 24.

21. Hahn et al., ‘Organizations, Climate Change, and Transparency’.

22. Schulenkorf et al., ‘Sport for Development’, 24.

23. Breitbarth and Harris, ‘The Role of Corporate Social Responsibility in the Football Business’.

24. Baumgartner, ‘Managing Corporate Sustainability and CSR’.

25. Klettner et al., ‘The Governance of Corporate Sustainability’.

26. Maon et al., ‘Designing and Implementing Corporate Social Responsibility’.

27. O’Riordan and Fairbrass, ‘Managing CSR Stakeholder Engagement’.

28. Whittemore and Knafl, ‘The integrative review’.

29. See Baumgartner, ‘Managing Corporate Sustainability and CSR’; Maon et al., ‘Designing and Implementing Corporate Social Responsibility; O’Riordan and Fairbrass, ‘Managing CSR Stakeholder Engagement’.

30. Baumgartner, ‘Managing Corporate Sustainability and CSR’, 263.

31. O’Riordan and Fairbrass, ‘Managing CSR Stakeholder Engagement’, 126.

32. Maon et al., ‘Designing and Implementing Corporate Social Responsibility’, 77.

33. Breitbarth and Harris, ‘The Role of Corporate Social Responsibility in the Football Business’, 180.

34. Breitbarth et al., ‘Scoring Strategy Goals’, 731.

35. Reiche, ‘Drivers Behind Corporate Social Responsibility in the Professional Football Sector’, 487–597.

36. Anagnostopoulos et al., ‘Corporate Social Responsibility in Professional Team Sport Organisations’, 269–271.

37. Hamil and Morrow, ‘Corporate Social Responsibility in the Scottish Premier League’, 143.

38. Blumrodt et al., ‘Professional Football Clubs and Corporate Social Responsibility’, 208–219.

39. Baumgartner, ‘Managing Corporate Sustainability and CSR’, 265.

40. Anagnostopoulos and Shilbury, ‘Implementing Corporate Social Responsibility in English Football’, 280.

41. Anagnostopoulos et al., ‘Corporate Social Responsibility in Professional Team Sport Organisations’, 259.

42. Breitbarth and Harris, ‘The Role of Corporate Social Responsibility in the Football Business’, 200.

43. Breitbarth and Harris, ‘The Role of Corporate Social Responsibility in the Football Business’, 181.

44. Maon et al., ‘Designing and Implementing Corporate Social Responsibility’, 77.

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47. Bingham and Walters, ‘Financial Sustainability Within UK Charities’; Castro-Martinez and Jackson, ‘Collaborative Value Co-Creation in Community Sports Trusts at Football Clubs’; Walters and Panton, ‘Corporate Social Responsibility and Social Partnerships’.

48. Walters, ‘Corporate Social Responsibility Through Sport’.

49. Filizöz and Fişne, ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’.

50. Paramio-Salcines and Kitchin, ‘Institutional Perspectives on the Implementation of Disability Legislation and Services for Spectators with Disabilities in European Professional Football’.

51. Manoli, ‘Promoting Corporate Social Responsibility in the Football Industry’.

52. Henderson et al., ‘Corporate Social Responsibility and Mental Health’.

53. Walters and Tacon, ‘Corporate Social Responsibility in European Football’.

54. Panton, ‘Football and Corporate Social Responsibility’.

55. Garcia and Welford, ‘Supporters and Football Governance, from Customers to Stakeholders’.

56. Petroczi, ‘The Dark Side of Sport’.

57. Paramio-Salcines and Kitchin, ‘Institutional Perspectives on the Implementation of Disability Legislation and Services for Spectators with Disabilities in European Professional Football’; Paramio-Salcines, Downs and Grady, ‘Football and its Communities’.

58. Blumrodt et al., ‘Professional Football Clubs and Corporate Social Responsibility’.

59. Breitbarth et al., ‘Scoring Strategy Goals’.

60. Serby, ‘British Football Club Insolvency’.

61. Müller et al., ‘The Financial Fair Play Regulations of UEFA’.

62. Senaux, ‘Playing by the Rules… but Which Ones?’, Sener and Karapolatgil, ‘Rules of the Game’.

63. Slack and Shrives, ‘Social Disclosure and Legitimacy in Premier League Football Clubs’.

64. Becker, ‘World Cup 2026 now Accepting Bribes’; Youd, ‘The Winter’s Tale of Corruption’.

65. Pielke, ‘How Can FIFA be Held Accountable?’.

66. Petroczi, ‘The Dark Side of Sport’.

67. Hill, ‘How Gambling Corruptors Fix Football Matches’.

68. Flanagan, ‘A Tricky European Fixture’; Serby, ‘British Football Club Insolvency’.

69. Schubert, ‘Potential Agency Problems in European Club Football’; Storm, ‘The Need for Regulating Professional Soccer in Europe’.

70. Walters and Tacon, ‘Corporate Social Responsibility in European Football’.

71. Reiche, ‘Drivers Behind Corporate Social Responsibility in the Professional Football Sector’; Walters and Tacon, ‘Corporate Social Responsibility in European Football’.

72. Reiche, ‘Drivers Behind Corporate Social Responsibility in the Professional Football Sector’.

73. Kellison and Hong, ‘The Adoption and Diffusion of Pro-Environmental Stadium Design’.

74. Maon et al., ‘Designing and Implementing Corporate Social Responsibility’, 77.

75. See Anagnostopoulos and Shilbury, ‘Implementing corporate social responsibility in English football’; Bingham and Walters, ‘Financial Sustainability Within UK Charities’.

76. Anagnostopoulos and Shilbury, ‘Implementing Corporate Social Responsibility in English Football’, 280.

77. Bingham and Walters, ‘Financial Sustainability Within UK Charities’.

78. Walters and Panton, ‘Corporate Social Responsibility and Social Partnerships’, 622.

79. Bingham and Walters, ‘Financial Sustainability Within UK Charities’.

80. Baumgartner, ‘Managing Corporate Sustainability and CSR’, 265.

81. O’Riordan and Fairbrass, ‘Managing CSR Stakeholder Engagement’, 126.

82. Breitbarth et al., ‘Scoring Strategy Goals’, 732.

83. Breitbarth et al., ‘Scoring Strategy Goals’, 725.

84. Anagnostopoulos and Shilbury, ‘Implementing Corporate Social Responsibility in English Football’, 275–276.

85. Kolyperas et al., ‘Applying a Communicating Vessels Framework to CSR Value Co-Creation’.

86. Baumgartner, ‘Managing Corporate Sustainability and CSR’, 266.

87. Anagnostopoulos and Shilbury, ‘Implementing corporate social responsibility in English football’, 270–273.

88. Kolyperas et al., ‘Applying a Communicating Vessels Framework to CSR Value Co-creation',.

89. Ibid.

90. Walters and Anagnostopoulos, ‘Implementing Corporate Social Responsibility Through Social Partnerships’.

91. Maon et al., ‘Designing and Implementing Corporate Social Responsibility’, 77.

92. Breitbarth et al., ‘Scoring Strategy Goals’.

93. Walters and Tacon, ‘Corporate Social Responsibility in European Football’, 5.

94. Breitbarth et al., ‘Scoring Strategy Goals’, 733.

95. King, ‘Making the Case for Sport and Recreation Services’.

96. Walker et al., ‘Evaluating a Socially Responsible Employment Program’.

97. Breitbarth et al., ‘Scoring Strategy Goals’, 734.

98. Breitbarth et al., ‘Scoring Strategy Goals’, 722.

99. Maon et al., ‘Designing and Implementing Corporate Social Responsibility’, 77.

100. O’Riordan and Fairbrass, ‘Managing CSR Stakeholder Engagement’, 126.

101. Kolyperas and Sparks, ‘Corporate social responsibility communications in the G-25 football clubs’.

102. Anagnostopoulos et al., ‘Stakeholder Communication in 140 Characters or Less’, 21.

103. Bingham and Walters, ‘Financial Sustainability Within UK Charities’; Walters, ‘Corporate Social Responsibility Through Sport’.

104. Flöter et al., ‘Communicating CSR-Linked Sponsorship’.

105. Anagnostopoulos et al., ‘Corporate Social Responsibility in Professional Team Sport Organisations’, 270–271.

106. Breitbarth and Harris, ‘The Role of Corporate Social Responsibility in the Football Business’, 186 –187.

107. Walters and Chadwick, ‘Corporate citizenship in football’, 58.

108. Maon et al., ‘Designing and Implementing Corporate Social Responsibility’, 83.

109. Anagnostopoulos et al., ‘Stakeholder Communication in 140 Characters or Less’, 21–30.

110. Garcia and Welford, ‘Supporters and football governance, from customers to stakeholders’, 518.

111. Blumrodt et al., ‘Professional football clubs and corporate social responsibility’.

112. Breitbarth and Harris, ‘The Role of Corporate Social Responsibility in the Football Business’, 186.

113. Flanagan, ‘A Tricky European Fixture’.

114. Becker, ‘World cup 2026 now accepting bribes’ 134.

115. Anagnostopoulos and Shilbury, ‘Implementing Corporate Social Responsibility in English Football’, 274–275.

116. Maon et al., ‘Designing and Implementing Corporate Social Responsibility’, 77.

117. Kolyperas et al., ‘Developing CSR in Professional Football Clubs’.

118. Breitbarth et al., ‘Scoring Strategy Goals’.

119. Reiche, ‘Drivers behind Corporate Social Responsibility in the Professional Football Sector’.

120. Anagnostopoulos and Shilbury, ‘Implementing Corporate Social Responsibility in English Football’; Anagnostopoulos et al., ‘Corporate Social Responsibility in Professional Team Sport Organisations’.

121. Breitbarth and Harris, ‘The Role of Corporate Social Responsibility in the Football Business’, 199–200.

122. Garcia and Welford, ‘Supporters and football governance, from customers to stakeholders’; Walters and Tacon, ‘Corporate social responsibility in European Football’.

123. Breitbarth et al., ‘Scoring Strategy Goals’.

124. Breitbarth et al., ‘Scoring Strategy Goals’; Anagnostopoulos and Shilbury, ‘Implementing Corporate Social Responsibility in English Football’; Kolyperas et al., ‘Applying a Communicating Vessels Framework to CSR Value Co-creation'.

125. Walters and Tacon, ‘Corporate Social Responsibility in European Football’, 5.

126. Breitbarth et al., ‘Scoring Strategy Goals’.

127. King, ‘Making the Case for Sport and Recreation Services’.

128. Morrow, ‘Football Club Financial Reporting’.

129. Breitbarth and Harris, ‘The Role of Corporate Social Responsibility in the Football Business’.

130. Walters and Chadwick, ‘Corporate Citizenship in Football’.

131. Whitley, ‘Business Systems’; Whitley, Divergent Capitalisms.

132. Breitbarth et al., ‘Scoring Strategy Goals’.

133. King, ‘Making the Case for Sport and Recreation Services’.

134. Reiche, ‘Drivers Behind Corporate Social Responsibility in the Professional Football Sector’.

135. Walters and Tacon, ‘Corporate Social Responsibility in European Football’.