Sponsorship and responsibility for event security

Sponsors invest in events to gain reach, revenue and a positive brand image. Responsibility for security generally lies with the organiser and the other parties responsible. Financial participation alone does not create automatic legal responsibility for event security.

When sponsors can be affected differently

It can be different if sponsors take on organisational tasks themselves, influence security-relevant decisions or operate their own event areas. What matters are the actual tasks, means of influence and legal obligations. [1]

Economic risks and the investment decision

Independently of this, sponsors bear economic risks. Security incidents can lastingly damage the public perception of an event and of the brands associated with it. [2] [3]

Sponsors can therefore take security quality into account as a criterion in their investment decision without taking on operational security responsibility themselves.

Legal and corporate responsibility

Legal responsibility does not arise from sponsorship alone. Corporate responsibility can, however, mean deliberately including the security quality of an event in one’s own decision.

Professional note

Legal liability, contractual obligations and corporate responsibility are to be distinguished from one another. Whether a sponsor is legally responsible depends on the individual case.

Read more: Organiser responsibility when contractors take on security tasks, Common safety standards for events in Germany and Europe and From security concept to working event operations.

Context: research as of 6 November 2026; the sources are taken over from the author’s details and have not been checked against the original texts. ISO 31000 and ISO 20121 are management frameworks and do not create a security obligation for sponsors. General orientation, not legal advice and no commitment regarding MOVETOS services.