Sport and Social Responsibility Conference Report

charity. NBA always deals through local partners so for example NBA Cares is currently operating in the London boroughs of Croydon, Lewisham, Southwark and Wandsworth.

Hamilton explained that NBA is very different to Premier League as any activity outside a 75 mile radius of the clubs' base is regarded as NBA territory not that of the 30 clubs. NBA's global appeal is being utilised by “Basketball without Borders” campaign with former star, Congolese-born Dikembea Mutombo as an ambassador who mentors current players. NBA Cares is establishing itself in Africa, as illustrated by having just opened an office in Johannesburg, and appointing explayer, Amador Fell as VP of Development for Africa.

12.15 – 12.45 Telling the world – Successfully communicating your CSR programme James Thellusson (Glasshouse Partnership) Credibility is fundamental to effective communication. After all, Thellusson argued the Olympics is not just about medals. The definition of sport goes beyond the affairs of the pitch and CSR transforms just as it does in the corporate sector.

“Sport is social” and with that comes usefulness and responsibility, so the social legacy of 2012 will last longer than Team GB's medals. As a social marketing tool sport can make a difference through athletes acting as ambassadors and stadia being used for the benefit of the community. There are big battles ahead in terms of funding, revenues etc. for stakeholders and the question is which sports are tuned in and can take advantage of CSR as an asset.

Success will be determined by a range of attributes, including a clear and recognised vision as AFC Telford demonstrate in being a community club; the health issue especially around alcohol and the uneasy juxtaposition between social responsibility and sponsorship; the need to have CSR as integral and authentic which enables as many people, internally and externally, to communicate.

FC Barcelona's foundation work with UNICEF “is fantastic, it's multi-layered, global and authentic.”

The need to innovate is of paramount importance because a certain tiredness has crept into CSR. Amongst the key actions required to succeed were the need to capture data to provide evidence and endorsement; embrace technology, especially social media as “we are all broadcasters”; learn to love the BBC. There are also dangers ahead – ‘Hubris Kills’ quoting David Owen of the FT “few things in sport make me queasier than when administrators start banging on about how sport can change the world, it can't.” Beware of a post Olympics crash because if the legacy fails it will be very damaging to sport's efforts to position itself in the CSR space.