SOCIAL ARCHITECTS

Bridging business & human rights.

See Our Services

  • People first Human Rights Due Diligence for the world's biggest stages that withstand global scrutiny.

  • We build sustainable human rights solutions that work where you are.

  • We translate international frameworks into actionable strategies tailored to your local realities.

  • We connect sport, government, and global business with rightsholder-driven solutions.

  • Our expertise spans across all aspects of the human rights due diligence process from strategy to design to implementation.

  • We design social architecture to reduce your risk and amplify your legacy.

  • Inspired by the honeycomb, our work preserves value and strengthens institutional trust through reflective, locally grounded governance.

WHAT WE DO

Human rights due diligence.

Henekom delivers HRDD — human rights due diligence grounded in the same rigor the UNGPs, CSDDD, and other converging frameworks require. We bridge sports and entertainment organizations, business, government, quasi-government entities, and nonprofits — including sports federations, host nations, host cities, local organizing committees, sponsors, multi-nationals, and municipalities — with international human rights frameworks, then help articulate the vision, socialize the strategic plan, and execute against actionable plans.

Trusted by leading sports, government, and human rights organizations

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OUR SERVICES

Sports and Entertainment

Municipalities and Civil Society

Advisory
Governance & Delivery
Rights Ready Venues
Legacy & Sponsor Activations
Bid and Host Phase Strategy & Planning +
We advise on how to build human rights commitments into the bid itself — the plan's structure, stakeholder map, and strategic sequencing — so the plan starts as a strength of the bid, before host status is even awarded. If designated host, we carry the work through the hosting and delivery phases.
Standard Setting Advisory +
Standard-setting-stage advisory for federations, confederations, future host committees, teams, and others in the sports ecosystem — informed by direct service on FIFA's Expert Advisory Group for World Cup 2026 and Club World Cup 2025.
Sponsorship Exposure and Leverage +
We help brands evaluate the human rights risk profile of the events they sponsor — assessing governance, labor standards, geo-political risks, and grievance infrastructure before a sponsorship dollar is committed, so brand risk is understood upfront rather than discovered after the fact. If none exist, we help leverage sponsorship dynamics to institute them.
Publication Exposure Risk +
Legal review and proactive government alignment ahead of any public-facing communication, so human rights programming survives scrutiny before it's published.
Training & Capacity Building +
We design and deliver human rights due diligence training built around the specific risks a client actually faces, weaving that ethos through every level of the organization — shaped by what's really happening on the ground.
Human Rights Action Plan Development & Stakeholder Engagement +
We conduct human rights reviews to build the action plan and run stakeholder engagement on the client's behalf — from the bid phase through delivery — so the plan reflects real, continual input from government, civil society, and community partners.
Embedded Human Rights Leadership +
We take on real authority within the bid or host committee, so human rights has a seat at the table where decisions actually get made.
Responsible Contracting Systems & Procurement +
We build procurement systems where vendor compliance isn't an afterthought — it's built into the process from day one.
Program Execution & Cross-Functional Delivery +
We carry the plan through delivery by working directly inside every operational team — event management, transportation, safety and security, procurement, marketing, communications, and community relations — so human rights commitments show up in day-to-day operations, not just in a policy document.
Grievance Mechanism & Access to Remedy +
Intake, referral, and case management infrastructure that gives every report a clear path from first contact to close-out, with patterns surfaced to leadership before problems grow.
Fan Experience & Live-Site Integration +
Human rights built into live sites — safe spaces, accessibility coordination, inclusion infrastructure, and community-facing programming, taking plans from paper to practice.
Worker Support Hub +
A standalone, replicable worker support hub and grievance system built to the UN Guiding Principles' effectiveness standard — accessible, predictable, equitable, transparent — so workers can raise concerns and see them resolved, while flagging systemic issues before they escalate.
Youth Legacy Programming +
Community legacy design that turns event momentum into lasting local infrastructure — including our work on Houston's Grow the Game pillar, bringing renovated pitches, club partnerships, and youth scholarships to underserved communities long after the final whistle.
Activation Management +
Day-to-day management of the fan engagement side of sponsor activations — staffing, programming, and operations for signature installations, like the 120'x180' turf pitch at Houston's FIFA Fan Festival, hosting tournament competitions, community groups, and fan open play for all ages.
City & Constituent Human Rights Impact Assessments
Organizational Strategy & Assessment
Human Rights Impact Assessments +
We conduct human rights impact assessments for cities and municipalities on their own — independent of sporting events — evaluating local policy, infrastructure, and community impact using the same rigorous, stakeholder-driven methodology.
Benchmarking Reports +
We assess how an organization's policies, programs, and practices stack up against peers and sector standards, giving leadership a clear, evidence-based picture of where they rank.
Organizational Assessments +
We evaluate an organization's internal structure, governance, and operations — with input from internal stakeholders across leadership and staff — to identify gaps and opportunities, giving leadership a clear picture of where the organization stands.
Strategic Plans +
We build strategic plans for organizations and nonprofits — translating mission and stakeholder input into a clear, actionable roadmap leadership can execute against.

WHAT’S THE BUZZ

Client testimonials

Strategic thinkers who listen closely and act boldly make the world go round. Minal Davis and Henekom fall squarely into that rarefied category, guided by subject matter expertise on how government works. Minal's leadership secured the first city endorsement of the Children's Bill of Rights in Sports, a human rights framework that went on to be adopted by the US Conference of Mayors and more than a dozen municipalities.

Tom Farrey
Tom Farrey Executive Director, The Aspen Institute, Sports & Society Program

Partnering with the Henekom Group has proven to be a truly strategic and rewarding decision for the North Texas FWC Organizing Committee in preparing for the FIFA World Cup 2026. From the outset, Minal Davis and her team demonstrated an exceptional level of professionalism, maturity, and expertise that has consistently exceeded our expectations. The Henekom Group's approach to landscape assessment was both thorough and insightful, ensuring nuanced aspects of our region were carefully considered. Their ability to synthesize complex data into actionable strategies has been invaluable, providing us with clear direction as we navigate the many facets of planning such a monumental event. Perhaps most impressive is their skill in building consensus among diverse stakeholders. Minal's leadership fosters an environment of trust and collaboration, helping us align our vision and priorities while respecting the perspectives of all involved.

Monica Paul
Monica Paul President, North Texas FWC Organizing Committee™

Design social architecture that lasts.

Whether facing regulatory change, planning a new initiative, or strengthening stakeholder trust, Henekom Group works alongside you to turn standards into strategy and strategy into systems that deliver lasting, measurable impact.

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