Peculiarities of the Organizational Activities of the UEFA Foundation for Children: Sponsorship Issues in the Context of Corporate Social Responsibility

Abstract

In the modern world, charitable organizations and sports foundations play a crucial role in developing social initiatives aimed at supporting children in difficult life circumstances. The UEFA Foundation for Children is one of the most influential international foundations that utilizes football as a tool for implementing humanitarian programs. However, despite a high level of organization and operational efficiency, the foundation faces several challenges in sponsorship and funding. The aim of this study is to analyze the directions, strategies, and forms of activity of the UEFA Foundation for Children’s sponsors in the context of corporate social responsibility (CSR). It has been established that the foundation’s projects aregaining increasing interest among potential sponsors, most of whom are already engaged in football development and seek to integrate social aspects into their activities. This paper examines sponsorship initiatives by FedEx, Lay’s, Mastercard, Visa, Adidas, Kia, H&M, and other companies that actively support the foundation through financial contributions, logistics services, infrastructure development, and environmental projects. Specifically, Lay’s RePlay aims to create football fields from recycled packaging, Mastercard implements the "Priceless Experiences" program to promote children’s social integration, while H&M funds initiatives encouraging youth physical activity. The findings demonstrate that the UEFA Foundation for Children serves as a key tool for implementing CSR among leading international companies. The analysis of the foundation’s sponsors, including FedEx, Lay’s, Mastercard, Visa, Adidas, Kia, H&M, and others, highlights the growing importance of social initiatives in corporate strategies. The study also identified several challenges in the foundation’s sponsorship, such as political risks, instability in the sponsor list, and controversial corporate ethics. It has been proven that the UEFA Foundation for Children plays a crucial role in the development of corporate social responsibility in sports. However, its financial sustainability and reputation largely depend on the ethical standards of its sponsors, their commitment to global social responsibility, and the transparency of partnership agreements.