High-impact mastery
MASTERCLASS
ESG in Sport: Managing Human Rights Risks in Deals & Partnerships
A practical masterclass for sports directors, managers and lawyers.
A 90-minute, practice-oriented masterclass on ESG in sport: how to identify, negotiate and monitor environmental, social and human rights risks in sponsorships, partnerships, transfers and commercial agreements in sport. Led by Elisabeth de Nadal, Partner and Head of Sustainability, Business and Human Rights at Cuatrecasas.
English edition
Date:
16 November 2026
17:30 – 19:00 CET
Registration Deadline:
13 November 2026 for live access (30 November for on-demand access to the recording.)
Duration:
1.5 hours
Format:
Live Sessions & On-Demand: Live online session and on-demand (attend live or watch the recording)
Early bird: €45 (until 6 November 2026)
General Admission: €65
(Taxes included)
What is ESG in sport?
ESG in sport refers to how clubs, federations, leagues and event organisers manage the environmental, social and governance impacts of their activities, including those linked to their commercial partners. In sponsorships, transfers and partnerships, the main risks are labour exploitation in supply chains, links with sanctioned or state-related counterparties, greenwashing, safeguarding failures and the treatment of players, workers and communities. The reference framework is the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (2011) and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, increasingly reflected in EU law and in the human rights policies of FIFA, the IOC and UEFA.
Sport sells reputation. A sponsor, investor or partner brings money and visibility, but also its own environmental and human rights record. When something goes wrong – a supplier using forced labour, a partner under sanctions, a stadium project displacing communities, an unsupported green claim – the consequences reach the sports organisation: public backlash, loss of other sponsors, regulatory scrutiny and, increasingly, legal claims.
Regulation is moving in the same direction. Large companies in the EU must assess and report on sustainability risks across their value chains, and they pass these expectations on to their sports partners through contract clauses and questionnaires. Governing bodies now apply human rights requirements to event hosting and commercial programmes.
This masterclass turns that framework into a working method: what to ask before signing, what to investigate, what to put in the contract and what to monitor afterwards.
Masterclass Programme
01. Identifying key environmental, social and human rights risks in sponsorships, partnerships, transfers, commercial agreements and other sports-related deals
02. Before signing: what to ask and what to investigate
03. In the contract: what to include
04. After signing: what to monitor
Instructor
Elisabeth de Nadal
Elisabeth de Nadal is a Partner at Cuatrecasas in Barcelona and heads the firm’s Sustainability, Business and Human Rights practice. She advises companies on identifying and governing the risks of adverse impacts on human rights and the environment, and designs systems to prevent, manage and remediate harm across operations, supply chains and transactions.
She has practised since 1996 in Brussels, London and Barcelona, largely in litigation and international arbitration, and represents clients in disputes involving sustainability and human rights. She served as deputy managing partner of Cuatrecasas from 2014 to 2018.
She is recommended by Chambers & Partners, Legal 500, Global Arbitration Review, Who’s Who Legal and Best Lawyers, and is listed by Legal 500 as a Green Ambassador for Europe. She writes regularly on corporate sustainability due diligence and on CAS arbitration and human rights. She holds a law degree from the University of Barcelona, a master’s in European Law from the University of Liège and postgraduate degrees in human rights and corporate social responsibility. She works in English, French and Spanish.
Target audience
– Sports directors and general managers of clubs, leagues and federations
– Commercial, partnerships and sponsorship managers
– Sports lawyers and in-house counsel negotiating sponsorship, transfer and commercial contracts
– Compliance, integrity, ESG and sustainability officers in sports organisations
– Brand-side sponsorship teams and agencies working with sports properties
– Event organisers, host cities and bid committees
Key takeaways
– Identify the key environmental, social and human rights risks when entering into sponsorships, partnerships, transfers and commercial agreements
– Know what to ask before entering into a sports-related deal
– Know what to investigate before signing
– Know what to include in the contract
– Know what to monitor after signing
Certification
Participants who complete the masterclass receive the Sports Law Hub Digital Badge, which can be added to LinkedIn.
In sport, a partner’s risk quickly becomes your own. Learn to identify it before you sign
FAQ. About ESG and human rights risks in sports deals
What does ESG in sport mean for sponsorships and partnerships?
It means identifying and managing the environmental, social and governance impacts linked to a sponsor or partner – for example forced labour in its supply chain, sanctions exposure, unsupported green claims or poor governance – that can damage the sports organisation through reputation, regulation or litigation.
Do sports organisations have human rights due diligence obligations?
Under the UN Guiding Principles, every organisation is expected to respect human rights and carry out due diligence. Binding EU rules apply directly to large companies, but they reach clubs and federations indirectly through sponsors’ value chains, and governing bodies such as FIFA, the IOC and UEFA have adopted their own human rights requirements.
What should a sports deal include on ESG and human rights?
It depends on the risks identified before signing. The masterclass covers what to include in the contract as one step of a practical guide that also covers what to ask, what to investigate and what to monitor after signing.
Who is this masterclass for?
Sports directors, commercial and partnership managers, sports lawyers, in-house counsel and compliance or ESG officers who need to apply ESG in sport to sponsorships, transfers and commercial agreements.
What is the registration deadline?
11 November 2026. Early bird pricing (€35) is available until 4 November 2026.
Can I watch if I can't attend live?
Yes. All registrants receive the recording, available until 16 December 2026.
Will I receive a certificate?
Yes, the Sports Law Hub Digital Badge, which you can add to LinkedIn.
How much does it cost?
€45 early bird until 4 November 2026 and €65 general admission until 11 November 2026, taxes included. Sports Law Hub alumni receive a 20% discount (€36 / €52).
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