The government of Saudi Arabia is investigating allegations of serious worker mistreatment in the supply chain of Noon, the sleeve sponsor of Premier League club Newcastle United, which were revealed in a special report by The Athletic.
In June, The Athletic published an investigation into labour conditions at Noon and at agencies that supply the company with migrant workers, speaking to 12 workers from across the Gulf. The issues uncovered in the investigation included examples at supply companies of physical abuse, the withholding of wages, deception surrounding recruitment and the charging of illegal recruitment fees. It also revealed evidence of law-breaking surrounding overtime hours and racial or nationality-based discrimination at Noon and supply companies.
Noon, the Gulf’s largest online retailer, has been Newcastle’s sleeve sponsor for the past two years. Its circular logo is prominent on the club’s shirt, stadium, and website. It will be there again for the 2024-25 season — despite The Athletic sharing its findings with Newcastle before the release of the club’s new Adidas kit.
A year before it was announced as Newcastle’s sleeve sponsor, Noon struck a deal with Emirati-owned Manchester City, becoming a “regional partner” of the Premier League champions, and hosting the trophy in its offices. Though Noon is a far less prominent partner at City than it is at Newcastle, not appearing on the shirt or stadium, the relationship is still operative.
Newcastle United and Manchester City count Noon as a partner (Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)
Among the harrowing allegations given to The Athletic, Sara, a driver, spoke of being “treated like machines or horses, not human beings”. Rohit, a warehouse worker, said he suffered “mental violence” over meeting targets. Nancy said, “It was suicide working there”. You can read the full investigation here.
The Athletic shared details of the alleged abuses with several human rights charities and researchers, including Anti-Slavery International, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, FairSquare, and Equidem, which all say that the reports appear to be examples of forced labour within Noon’s supply chain as defined by the International Labour Organisation — which is regarded in international law as a form of modern slavery.
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Special report: Newcastle United sponsor Noon and shocking allegations of worker mistreatment
The ministry of human resources and social development of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has now told The Athletic that the allegations are being reviewed by the department’s labour inspection team.
“Any form of labor abuse or exploitation is unacceptable and is comprehensively investigated by the relevant authorities,” said a spokesperson for the ministry of human resources and social development of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
“All recruitment agents and private employers operating in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia must adhere to clear and strongly enforced laws to ensure the fair treatment and welfare of all employees. When these independent entities do not follow these laws, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD) works with the relevant authorities to investigate and take action. MHRSD also works closely with the governments of migrant workers’ home countries to combat abusive recruitment practices on an international level.
“MHRSD has implemented a wide-ranging program of reforms within the Saudi labor market since 2020. The Labor Reform Initiative was a significant turning point in the history of the country’s labor market, and we continue to develop the country’s labor laws to make it safer, fairer, and offer more opportunities to workers.
“The Kingdom has also ratified international instruments to align with international labor standards and improve and develop laws and procedures to enhance the protection of workers and employers. These include the International Labour Organization Convention No. 95 on Wage Protection and the Protocol of 2014 to the Forced Labour Convention No. 29.
“The Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has taken robust measures to combat human trafficking on an international level. It has put in place comprehensive legislation and policies to prevent, investigate, and prosecute trafficking offenses. It has also allocated significant resources to victim support services, providing assistance, shelter, and rehabilitation programs to survivors of human trafficking.
“As part of its ongoing efforts, the Government continues to review and enhance prevention, protection, and prosecution measures, aiming to eradicate human trafficking and provide a safe and secure environment for all individuals within the Kingdom.”
Newcastle and Manchester City declined to comment when contacted with the findings of the The Athletic’s investigation in June. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which now owns 85 per cent of Newcastle and 50 per cent of Noon, also declined to comment.
A Noon spokesperson referred to the size, scope and sophistication of the company’s operation, and denied all the claims, saying: “Noon strongly refutes these allegations as grossly inaccurate misrepresentations.
“The company’s commitment to employee welfare is fundamental to its operations. As a result, Noon adheres to and, where possible, exceeds, industry global best practices.
“The company maintains full compliance with local health and safety standards and applicable laws, reinforced by stringent internal and independent audit processes. Our entire approach to employee welfare is underpinned by real-time insights from our state-of-the-art data systems.”
The Athletic shared details of the initial investigation with the Premier League before publication, asking whether it deemed Noon a suitable sponsor, and whether it would investigate the issues raised.
In response, the Premier League declined to formally comment but the view within the organisation is that the identity of sponsorship partners is a matter for individual clubs.
(Top image: Getty Images)