BHRRC invited Premier League to respond to allegations of labour rights abuse in the supply chain of Newcastle United Football Club sponsor Noon and to concerns raised by rights groups that the alleged abuse contravene NUFC’s modern slavery statement, responsibilities under expectations to respect human rights through its sponsorship relationships. We also invite the Premier League to disclose:

1. What due diligence it requires members to undertake on sponsors to ensure responsibilities to respect human rights under the UN Guiding Principles are upheld, and
2. Whether the alleged practices “disqualify Noon from being a sponsor” as suggested by NGO Equidem.

Premier League response:

...

Premier League clubs are independent entites to the Premier League. As such, it is the individual club's responsiblity to undertake due diligence in respect of its own commercial partners' compliance with the Modern Slavery Act...

The Premier League also includes standard contractual provisions within its own commercial partner contracts and its third-party supply of services contacts. Those provisions require the counterpart to comply with the MSA and provude the Premier League with contractual rights and remedies (including the ability to terminate) in the event that this does not occur. Compliance is monitored throughout the lifecycle of the contract...

[Letter attached in full]