As the current world becomes more and more socially conscious, companies and organizations are being held more accountable for their decisions. Because of this, corporate social responsibility(CSR) is becoming a lot more present in the sports world. There is no doubt that the sports industry platform has the capacity to make a positive impact on the society around them. Organizations like the NFL are promoting campaigns that reduce their carbon footprint. Many athletes are using their large following to promote more socially just movements such as BLM and LGBTQ+ rights. By leveraging their popularity, people and organizations can help bring attention to important causes and inspire change. Now that we have a basic understanding of CSR within the sports world, let’s dive into some controversial topics within the sports world that call for some good ole CSR!
- Nike Sweatshops
Right off the bat, you can sense the lack of responsibility here. And please don’t be naive to think that the world’s biggest brands would not stoop so low as to abuse underage workers or poor working conditions in order to create larger profits. These sweatshops have been reported in multiple locations including China, Vietnam, and Thailand. The working conditions within these shops consist of verbal and physical abuse, forced overtime, and hazardous conditions. It is important to note that because of the social justice pressure from society, these actions have been brought to light. With over $40 billion in annual revenue in 2022, there should be plenty of room to promote proper working conditions throughout America and not just within the organization. However, Nike has been slow to make up for their wrongdoings and has failed to devote much time or money to a CSR campaign surrounding worker’s rights.
- Lack Of Diversity in Coaching
Many sports organizations and the NFL in particular have been criticized for the lack of diversity in coaching staff personnel. From 2019 to 2022 the NFL featured only three black head coaches out of 32 teams. This caused lots of backlash due to the immense population of black communities involved in the NFL. Because of this, the NFL introduced a rule enforcing teams to interview at least two minorities when looking for new coaches. This is a start, however, this season only featured five minority head coaches. As the years go on we hope this imbalance can even out, but as we all know it is up to the NFL to continue making an effort for change.
- US Women’s National Soccer Team Fight for Equal Pay
The US Women’s National Soccer Team has been at the forefront of advocating for equal pay and better treatment for women athletes. Fifa awarded the Men’s world cup winners a total of $38 million(2018) and for the women? Only $4 million(2019). Following this, the team filed a lawsuit against the US Soccer Federation alleging gender discrimination, and the case helped to bring attention to the issue of unequal pay in women’s sports. Although the exact amount is unknown to the public, it has been reassured that improvements to women’s pay and working conditions have been made. Round of applause for all those involved!