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CSR in Sports Organizations – Online Course Now Publicly Available

ISG 08 September 2025
CSR in sport

Sport and Responsibility – A Topic That Cannot Be Ignored

Sport is not only about spectacle and competition. It is also a space where communities, values, and economic interests meet. Responsible management of sports organizations is increasingly becoming the subject of international debate – both in the context of clubs’ social impact and the transparency of sports federations.

In this context, CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) takes on particular importance. CSR in sport is not just about sponsoring local events; it is a comprehensive approach to management: from caring for fans and local communities, through building sustainable strategies, to ensuring transparency in financial and ethical practices.

A Course That Was Missing in Poland

Until now, CSR in sport in Poland has been addressed only in a fragmented way. There was no tool that could present both the theoretical foundations and the practical mechanisms of implementing responsibility in sports organizations in an accessible and comprehensive way.

This gap has now been filled by the first online course in Poland dedicated to this subject, created by PhD Paweł Zembura – board member of the Institute for Sport Governance (ISG), lecturer at the University of Physical Education in Warsaw (AWF Warszawa), and founder of Sportimpakt.

The course was developed in 2023 as the result of long-term research on the responsibility of sports clubs in Poland, combined with the author’s international experience working with federations, universities, and sports partners across Europe.

From now on, the video materials and accompanying resources are publicly available and free of charge.

Course Structure

The course is divided into two main parts:

1. Responsibility of the Sports Organization – Introduction and Context

  • Definition and importance of CSR,
  • Principles of social responsibility according to ISO 26000,
  • Analysis of benefits and risks for sports organizations,
  • Specific features of CSR in sport,
  • Research findings on CSR implementation in Polish clubs.

2. Implementing CSR in a Sports Organization – Practice

  • Building a common language within the organization,
  • Identifying stakeholders and areas of responsibility,
  • Diagnosis and selection of priorities,
  • The role of the board and leaders,
  • Developing CSR strategies and organizational policies,
  • Integration mechanisms and building a culture of responsibility,
  • Reporting and communicating outcomes.

Why Is It Worth It?

The course is designed to support:
✅ students and young sports leaders in understanding the challenges of social responsibility,
✅ managers and boards of sports clubs in developing CSR strategies,
✅ NGOs and institutions in professionalizing social projects in sport.

As PhD Zembura emphasizes:
“The materials are meant to support current and future leaders of the sports sector in looking at their organizations through the lens of responsibility. In my view, this is the path to making better use of the potential of these entities. I hope it will help those interested to approach the topic of CSR more effectively and comprehensively.”

How to Access the Course?

The video materials and course resources are available online, free of charge:
👉 Go to the course!

We encourage you to share them within your networks – this is knowledge that can help transform Polish sport for the better.

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