EFDN Member of the Month – August 2023

EFDN Member of the Month – August 2023

We are excited to introduce to you the Member of the Month for August 2023. A quick reminder, this initiative aims to showcase the outstanding efforts of our member clubs, leagues or FA’s honouring their dedication to using football for positive change in their communities. Each month, we select a deserving member organisation based on its leadership, innovation, and impact on social responsibility. The chosen member gains exclusive visibility across our network and beyond, allowing their inspiring work to be recognised and celebrated.

For this second edition, we are thrilled to announce the recipient of the EFDN Member of the Month for August 2023:

Sparta Prague

To celebrate their nomination, Irena Smetanová, Project Community Manager and Chairman of the Board of Directors at AC Sparta Praha Foundation – has graciously accepted our invitation for an exclusive interview. This opportunity allows us to discover the remarkable work and initiatives that have earned Sparta Prague the nomination for EFDN Member of the Month.

What makes you smile in your role? 

Thanks to my job I become part of many life stories. It always makes me smile and moves me to tears at the same time very often when I see how the power of football and the club’s brand can impact individual life and positively influence the community.

What inspired you to work in the CSR/ESG field and what made you interested in making a difference in the football industry specifically? 

I believe that everyone with certain opportunities, abilities, and influences should use these tools to create value and build a legacy for future generations. Football has its inherent place in society. Thanks to its popularity and intense emotions, which are connected to its every part, it has the power to positively influence its surroundings, be a role model and raise the profile of important social issues.

What core values guide your foundation’s work, and how do you ensure your initiatives have a lasting impact? 

Our CSR strategy consists of 4 basic pillars: sport and healthy lifestyle, education, diversity & inclusion, and sustainability. In our work, the regularity and continuity of our projects and activities are essential for us. For the first three mentioned pillars, a key indicator has been so far the number of participants. In the field of sustainability, we are in the initial phase in which we are preparing the measures and setting measurable indicators.

What’s your favourite project? 

To be honest, that’s a really hard question. I cannot highlight just one project or activity. Each one is very close to me in a certain way. Because every project reflects my personal experiences and passions, next to our club values of course. In the same way, as I adore sports and an active lifestyle, I am extremely happy with how many 3-6 years-old kids attend our Spartan Football School project, which focuses on physical development in general and building a positive relationship with movement. I am also very proud of our club and academy and how it cares not only about football but also the personal development of our young players. We are raising not only great football players but also great human beings. Thanks to our educational project we care about their future.

Can you share a memorable story that showcases the positive impact of your foundation’s work? 

I would like to share a few very important stories for me. The first one is linked to the establishment of the foundation 10 years ago. The foundation was founded with the main purpose to support our former player, who represented the club mainly in the sixties and seventies. Foundation provides former players in need with financial or medical support till this time. The second story started in the spring of 2022. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, we took care of a team of young Ukrainian football players. In addition to food and accommodation, we provided them with Czech language courses and football training sessions in one of our partner clubs. Most of the players returned to Ukraine, however, two of the remained in the Czech Republic. Thanks to an intensive language course they were accepted into Czech schools this spring and have consolidated their football position in our partner club. And the last story which has its place on the top of my mind at the moment comes from our pilar “Education”. Our U15 and U16 academy players spend several months volunteering as part of the international non-formal education program called The Duke of Edinburgh Award. They have mostly helped as assistant coaches in the youngest categories. Despite the demanding training and study process, several players continue to volunteer after the end of the program as assistant coaches or as referees in charity tournaments, etc.