Business In Society Archives

The Role of Trade in the UN Post 2015 Development Agenda

Published on August 26, 2014

The United States Council for International Business (USCIB) and the Green Economies Dialogue initiative (GED) will host a Working Session on October 2 during the 2014 WTO Public Forum:

“The Role of Trade in the Post 2015 Development Agenda: Greening Growth and Disseminating Solutions – A Green Economies Dialogue Initiative Discussion.”

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The theme of the 2014 WTO Public Forum is “How Trade Benefits Everyone.”  The ambition of the UN Post 2015 Development Agenda is to enhance and integrate economic, development and environment considerations while broadening benefits to all through inclusive growth and shared prosperity.  Trade is a powerful vehicle to advance this.

Confirmed speakers include:

  • Christopher Wilson, deputy chief of mission, U.S. Mission to the WTO
  • Steven Stone, head, Economics and Trade Division, U.N. Environment Programme (UNEP)
  • Brian Fisher, managing director, BAEconomics Pty Ltd

The USCIB/GED Working Session will:

  • present perspectives relevant to trade as a vehicle for technological innovation and its dissemination, global value chains, job creation and environmental solutions, as they relate to the formulation of the UN Post 2015 Development Agenda over the next year and half.
  • highlight the benefits and contributions multilateral trade systems and approaches deliver via trade in developed and developing countries, especially through private sector technology and expertise on environmental challenges such as climate change.

Staff contact: Norine Kennedy

More on USCIB’s Environment Committee

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USCIB Provides Industry Input to UN FAO Nutrition Action Plan

Published on August 19, 2014

4816_image001Global hunger and malnutrition remain stubbornly high, with over two billion people suffering from nutrient deficiencies. To address worldwide undernourishment, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) spearheaded the 1992 International Nutrition Conference aimed at alleviating hunger and malnutrition while encouraging countries to develop national strategies to address unhealthy diets, obesity and other nutrition-related diseases.

The Second International Nutrition Conference (ICN2) will take place this November, and in the lead-up to the conference the FAO released a draft of its Framework for Action, a 10-year plan of action meant to provide key priorities to governments and other stakeholders for improving people’s nutrition in a sustainable way.

USCIB has participated in the FAO consultation on the framework, and on Monday released comments responding to the framework’s language which will be the basis for adopting major policy guidelines and strategies and for developing and updating national plans of action and investments to improve nutrition.

“USCIB appreciates the opportunity to provide input to the FAO consultation and believes it is essential that all stakeholders work together to develop a global food system to further improve people’s nutrition in a sustainable way,” said Helen Medina, USCIB’s senior director of product policy and innovation.

However, USCIB identified several problems with the draft’s language, particularly clauses that either ignore or downplay industry’s contributions to alleviating malnutrition, no definitions about vague terms such as “nutrition justice” and “highly processed foods of minimal nutritional value,” a tone that implies that trade and investment is bad for developing countries, and a failure to recognize that self-regulation with regard to the food and beverage industry has been beneficial.

Acknowledge Industry’s Role in Addressing Global Malnutrition

USCIB found that the framework draft in general contained limited language that acknowledged the food industry’s importance and the need for multilateral organizations to engage industry as a full partner in deciding strategies and common goals for addressing malnutrition. Industry is also keen on underscoring the importance of employing “knowledge and evidence-based programs” to combat global hunger and nutrition-related diseases.

Define Vague Terms

USCIB noted that the phrase “nutrition justice” isn’t defined and that the boundaries of the concept are unclear. USCIB recommends removing the term and instead focus the document on the action steps required to achieve explicit nutrition targets. The same critique was made of the term “highly processed foods of minimal nutritional value.” Medina wrote “The lack of either a definition or an evidence base linked to those definitions, should dictate that this statement is not appropriate for inclusion in the WHO/FAO Framework For Action document.”

Similarly, USCIB took issue with the framework’s priority actions for nutrition governance, arguing that there is a lack of clarity “as to how all these platforms, mechanisms, processes and reporting relate to similar activities either in place or proposed by WHO and the UN” and that “There appears to be significant potential for redundant, duplicative and overly burdensome processes that could present significant obstacles to achieving real progress.” USCIB noted that the framework should spell out what the roles and responsibilities among the various multi-lateral organizations involved in addressing global malnutrition.

Be Wary of Tax Incentives

Because fiscal policy is complex and often has unintended consequences, USCIB expressed caution with regard to plans to use taxes as incentives for healthy diets. USCIB argued tax rates should be kept low on food, especially for low-income individuals who spend a larger portion of their paycheck on food.

International Trade and Investment Isn’t Bad

Regarding the framework’s language on trade and investment in agriculture, Medina wrote, “There appears to be a presumption underlying this section that the impact of trade and investment is primarily negative, despite the fact that no evidence is offered to support this presumption and despite significant evidence to the contrary, including FAO and WTO reports, indicating that increased trade, particularly in agriculture and food, increases the standard of living in developing countries and improves the performance of national economies.  This section continues this presumption with respect to trade and nutrition specifically, not by providing any evidence of harm, but by implication simply constructing each proposition in the negative.  Without any science or evidence basis, this entire section should be reconsidered.”

Support Nutrition Education and the Role of Women

USCIB agrees with the framework that nutrition education is key to addressing global malnutrition, and that all stakeholders must work together to effectively educate consumers through labeling and nutrition programs on food.

USCIB also agrees that empowering women is crucial for improving nutrition, and therefore promotes policies that help women become farmers, traders and business owners.

“The private sector believes it is essential that all stakeholders work together to develop holistic, impactful and sustainable solutions,” said Medina. “We are committed to public-private partnerships that support public health strategies.”

Staff contact: Helen Medina

More on USCIB’s Food and Agriculture Committee

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Chemicals Regulation Top-of-Mind at APEC Senior Officials Meeting

Published on August 12, 2014
LR: Hitoshi Nanimoto (Japan), Dusanka Sabic (Australia), Andy Liu (DuPont), Erica Logan (ITIC), Sophia Danenburg (Boeing)
LR: Hitoshi Nanimoto (Japan), Dusanka Sabic (Australia), Andy Liu (DuPont), Erica Logan (ITIC), Sophia Danenburg (Boeing)

The chemicals trade cuts across multiple industries and contributes to the production of thousands of different products, from pharmaceuticals to computer microchips. Central to the modern economy, chemicals and products they are used in are traded widely across borders. And because they add value to so many different consumer goods, chemicals are a staple economic building block for the member countries of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.

The regulation of chemicals trade was top-of-mind during this year’s third APEC Senior Officials Meeting (SOM III) hosted in China, where government regulators met with industry representatives and other stakeholders to discuss opportunities and challenges in the chemicals industry.

Helen Medina, USCIB’s senior director of product policy and innovation, attended SOM III along with a number of member company executives. The meetings took place under the auspices of the APEC Chemical Dialogue, a forum for regulatory officials and industry representatives seeking to advance regulatory dialogue on chemicals trade and achieve environmental protection while minimizing costs to business.

During an industry “pre-meeting,” private-sector representative from the APEC region met to discuss business priorities on chemicals regulation. Of concern to industry included ongoing issues related to EU REACH, such matters related to polymers and the criteria for identifying endocrine disruptors. The APEC region is also increasingly a concern for industry given all the changes in the chemical management systems in China, Korea and Chinese Taipei. Industry is concerned about Confidential Business Information (CBI), and is keen on protecting trade secrets. Business supports striking the right balance between health safety and the protection of intellectual property rights, and to that end industry is backing the implementation of the 2008 Best Practice Principles on chemicals regulation in the APEC economies.

USCIB also convened an industry meeting with officials from the U.S. State Department and USTR. The meeting provided an opportunity for business to show that a wide range of industry sectors are involved in the APEC Chemical Dialogue – companies represented at the meeting included DuPont, American Petroleum Institute, Boeing, the Information Technology Industry Council, the American Chemistry Council, the Nickel Institute and others. The meeting also gave industry a chance to discuss priority issues such as regulatory cooperation and CBI. Industry also noted that chemical regulations shouldn’t disrupt the availability of certain irreplaceable chemicals needed for specialized industries.

Joint Meeting of APEC Regulators’ Forum and OECD New Chemicals Clearing House

USCIB’s Medina also participated in the joint meeting of the APEC Regulators’ Forum with the OECD Clearing House on New Chemicals, which brings together officials from the U.S., Canada and Australia and industry representatives to craft ways to reduce the costs on business associated with new chemical notification reviews while ensuring a high quality of health and safety decisions for new chemicals.

APEC economies provided updates on their chemical management systems, with OECD countries sharing best practices to help developing countries build up their chemical management systems. For example, New Zealand developed a toolbox to help small businesses deal with hazardous substances, and the United States spoke about Environmentally Preferable Purchasing, a program that allows the federal government to buy green products, stimulating market demand for environmentally friendly products and services. The OECD also presented its work on a toolbox that supports the evaluation of alternatives when safer chemical substitutes are sought.

The Regulators’ Forum gives business the opportunity to obtain an overview of the chemical management systems in the APEC economies and how planned changes could impact business. It also gives industry a chance to interact with regulators, as well as learn about what chemicals programs advanced economies are promoting.

Serving as a place where governments can share information about new chemicals going to market, the Clearing House is beneficial to business because companies don’t have to regenerate information about new chemicals. Instead, companies go to one place – the OECD Clearing House – for chemicals evaluation, and then put those chemicals on the market in different countries.

The Clearing House is actively working to include more participants from non-OECD countries in its activities. Since many APEC economies are in the process of updating or creating new chemical management systems, APEC regulators have much to gain from discussions with the OECD Clearing House.

“Our hope is that both APEC economies and industry see the value of the OECD Clearing House on New Chemicals,” Medina said.

Workshop Advances Best Practices on Chemicals Regulation

On Tuesday USCIB’s Medina attended the APEC Chemical Dialogue Regulatory Cooperation Workshop. The purpose of the workshop is to advance the implementation of the 2008 Principles for Best Practice Chemical Regulation and to contribute to APEC’s ongoing efforts to promote regulatory cooperation. USCIB members featured prominently on the agenda and were able to communicate their specific perspectives on why regulatory cooperation is important.

Andy Liu of DuPont gave one industry’s view on the importance of having risk based decision making practices. “We believe risk-based assessments and oversight of chemicals most effectively protect the public and the environment,” said Liu. “Proportionality of oversight and efficient use of available resources by screening, prioritizing, and only generating data that are necessary for decision-making can help stakeholders to minimize risk of chemicals and allow investment in innovations necessary for a brighter future.”

Liu also highlighted the importance of protecting confidential business information so that companies can continue to innovate and bring sustainable solutions to society. While implementing the Globally Harmonized hazards classification and labeling systems in a more consistent manner would lessen the costs to the business.

Participants also heard from Erica Logan, ITIC whose main message was that the electronics industry is leveraging an internationally recognized International Electrotechnical Commission standard to manage relevant Chemicals in Products information throughout the supply chain. “We encourage governments to recognize the value of such standardized approaches for managing chemical information and risk,” said Logan.

Sophia Danenberg of Boeing gave another downstream users perspective. She noted that chemical management systems do impact the aerospace industry and that regulators should consider how chemical regulations impact the availability of high specialized chemicals for use in the aerospace industry.

On a related note, Don Wilke, P&G, talked about principles for substance evaluation and the benefits for having a regulatory framework that allows or encourages the use of analogues and other surrogate data in chemical assessments. Use of analogues reduces animal use, costs and can provide for higher tier information sooner.

“The appropriate use of chemical analogues and read-across information can significantly reduce the unnecessary use of animals in safety testing as well as reduce the costs and the time required for testing,” said Wilke. “This is in line with the Chemical Dialogue Best Practice Principles of efficiency, flexibility and science-based decision making.”

More information about the workshop and its conclusions are forthcoming.

Staff contact: Helen Medina

More on USCIB’s APEC Working Group

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ICC Helps APEC Streamline Ad Standards

Published on August 12, 2014

BeijingGovernments and business representatives from the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies convened to discuss self-regulatory best practices in the advertising industry at the APEC Advertising Standards Forum and Mentoring Workshop in Beijing last week.

The workshop focused on best practice advertising regulation with a view to aligning advertising standards across APEC markets, reducing barriers to trade from diverse regulations and promoting quality standards. The event was hosted by the Chinese Association of National Advertisers and the Australian Advertising Standards Bureau.

The workshop built upon the insights of a recent APEC Policy Support Unit study, which noted the use of the Consolidated International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Code of Advertising and Marketing Communications Practice as the globally accepted best practice principles.

The ICC Code, developed by the ICC Commission on Marketing and Advertising, is the gold standard for most nationally applied self-regulation around the world. It offers a globally consistent baseline for economies developing advertising principles while also providing flexibility for local laws and culture to be reflected in a local code.

The APEC workshop, coming on the heels of the successful launch and advocacy event of the first Mandarin translation of the ICC Code, also provided an occasion to announce the creation of a local Commission on Marketing and Advertising by ICC China. This ICC Commission will work with industry and other key stakeholders to help advocate the benefits of advertising self-regulation and ensure local input is given into the global Commission that writes and revises the ICC Code.

More at ICC’s website.

USCIB is ICC”s American affiliate.

Staff contact: Jonathan Huneke

More on USCIB’s Marketing and Advertising Committee

Global Apprenticeship Network Makes Strides Against Youth Unemployment

Published on August 4, 2014

Youth EmploymentFounded last year in response to the global youth unemployment crisis, the Global Apprenticeships Network (GAN) is a coalition of companies that offers apprenticeships to young workers and shares youth employment best practices with other companies and labor administrations.

Developed jointly by USCIB’s affiliate networks – the International Organization of Employers and the Business and Industry Advisory Committee to the OECD – the GAN aims to create job opportunities for young people and ensure that businesses can tap employees with the right skills for the future.

Last week, the GAN took an important step forward by becoming an independent non-profit Swiss association. The IOE appointed José María Álvarez-Pallete, Chief Operating Officer of Telefónica, as the network’s chairman.

“I am honoured to take on the role of chair of the GAN and very committed to leading this association,” said Álvarez-Pallete. “Our vision is that corporations – big and small – can work together to address the difficult education-to-work transition faced by young people when they access the labor market.”

The GAN is committed to advocating work readiness programs by sharing best practices, establishing GAN National Networks with employer federations and developing practical toolkits.

Read more on the IOE website.

Staff contact: Ariel Meyerstein

More on USCIB’s Labor and Employment Committee

India’s Mandate Will Require Firms to Spend 2 of Profits on CSR

Published on July 30, 2014

Last year the Indian government passed the Indian Companies Act, a law which went into effect on April 2014 requiring Indian companies to contribute 2 percent of their annual profits to social and charitable causes.

India’s Ministry of Corporate Affairs recently released a circular that clarifies which companies fall under the law’s purview, as well as what qualifies as a corporate social responsibility (CSR) contribution.

Companies worth more than $80 million will be required to establish a CSR committee that formulates a CSR policy to contribute at least 2 percent of profits to causes such as the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, the promotion of gender equality and education, environmental sustainability and government-run funds for socio-economic development such as the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund. The Indian Companies Act also states that companies that refuse to comply must explain their reason for doing so in their annual financial statements.

India’s CSR mandate, often referred to as the “2 percent requirement,” makes India the first country in the world to require that qualifying companies make obligatory corporate social responsibility expenditures.

Key Aspects of India’s Corporate Social Responsibility Mandate Clarified (India Briefing)

Staff contact: Ariel Meyerstein

USCIB Marshals Business Input for the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Published on July 28, 2014

green buildingsThe United Nations Post-2015 Development Agenda will be an ambitious, internationally endorsed and holistic framework for achieving global prosperity. At the core of this new UN-wide program, the “Sustainable Development Goals” (SDGs) aim to address sustainable development, lifestyle and equity issues through international commitments, finance and partnerships.

Last week, the UN concluded the final session of its SDG Open Working Group process, delivering an outcome document that proposes 17 goals and no less than 170 targets. Member states were generally pleased with the targets but remained concerned about certain items. Louise Kantrow, the International Chamber of Commerce’s permanent representative to the United Nations, coordinated business input during the process through the Global Business Alliance for Post 2015.

Broadly, the UN SDGs are designed to complete the unfinished business of the UN’s earlier Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as well as to respond to new challenges and catalyze the action of non-state actors such as business.

Unlike the MDGs, the new goals are being negotiated with a broad consultation, and they apply to all countries, not just developing ones. The goals are defined as inspired global targets, with each government setting its own national targets, taking into account particular capabilities and circumstances.

The Post-2015 Development Agenda process will culminate in September 2015, during a summit where heads of state will adopt the agenda, including the SDGs.

“USCIB maintains that in order for the SDGs to succeed, governments must build in a strong business role in the UN deliberations on sustainable development,” said USCIB’s Norine Kennedy, vice president of strategic international engagement, energy and environment. “Effective partnership and substantive dialogue with the private sector are indispensable.”

USCIB in partnership with the International Organization of Employers (IOE), the Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE) and others, will convene a business UN “Door-knock” meeting in New York on September 26 with participants from government, business and NGOs. This unique business-organized event will demonstrate private sector experience and knowhow in addressing sustainability and development challenges. It will underscore the need for the right enabling frameworks to catalyze business contributions to advancing sustainability through good governance, innovation, infrastructure investment and economic growth and empowerment.

The proposed UN Sustainable Development Goals:

  1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
  2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture
  3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
  4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote life-long learning opportunities for all
  5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
  6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
  7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
  8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full of productive employment and decent work for all
  9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
  10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
  11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
  12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
  13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
  14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
  15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
  16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
  17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development

Staff contacts: Norine Kennedy and Ariel Meyerstein

More on USCIB’s Environment Committee

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Forum on Responsible Business in the Garment Sector

Published on July 28, 2014

garmentThe tragic collapse of the Rana Plaza garment factory in Bangladesh last year, which killed over 1,000 people and injured many more, put a spotlight on the garment industry and the safety of the millions of workers, factory owners and consumers that make up the entire supply chain of textiles and garments.

The garment sector has been high on the agenda of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which issued a statement this month on “One Year After Rana Plaza,” calling for increased action on guidelines for multinational enterprises operating in the textile industry.

At this year’s OECD Global Forum, an informal Ministerial meeting between OECD government representatives resulted in a call for a joint ILO-OEC Roundtable on Responsible Supply Chains in the Textile and Garment Sector, which will be held at the OECD headquarters in Paris on September 29-30, 2014. The roundtable will convene many government and OECD officials, and provides an opportunity for business to have its voice at the table, as well as allow a diverse array of stakeholders and policymakers to have fruitful discussions and share their viewpoints.

The roundtable, which is organized with active input from the Business and Industry Advisory Council to the OECD and the International Organization of Employers, will provide a forum for dialogue between representatives of governments, the private sector, trade unions and civil society organizations on building responsible supply chains in the textiles and garment sector, taking into account the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. The roundtable will also identify challenges and areas for future collaborative action.

Staff contact: Ariel Meyerstein

More on USCIB’s Corporate Responsibility Committee

Business Makes the Case for Gender Diversity

Published on July 16, 2014

women workplaceThe International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Secretary General John Danilovich has urged businesses and governments to step up efforts to engage women more fully in the workforce, particularly in leadership positions.

Danilovich told business, government and university representatives gathered in Sydney that despite making up over half of the world’s population, women’s contribution to measured economic activity was far below its potential.

“There is a huge unrealized economic opportunity,” said Danilovich. “Given the need for effective solutions to sustain global growth, it is both economically and socially necessary to tap into the skills and talent of women that are currently underutilized or left out of the labour force altogether. Since 812 million of the 865 million women worldwide who have the potential to contribute more fully to their economies live in the developing world, this is especially necessary for emerging and developing nations, since.”

The new ICC Secretary General was speaking at an event called “Women’s Empowerment Principles: Equality Means Business”, organized by the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry alongside this week’s B20 summit for business leaders from Australia and across the G20 member countries.

Read more on the ICC website

More on USCIB’s work on gender diversity

Staff contact: Justine Badimon

Business Spearheads High-Level Discussion on NCDs Prevention

Published on July 11, 2014
(L-R) Mike Wisheart (World Vision International), Mario Ottiglio (IFPMA), Kim Fortunato (Campbell Soup Company), Jean-Michel Borys (EPODE), Cary Adams (NCD Alliance), Louise Kantrow (ICC), Peter Robinson (USCIB)
(L-R) Mike Wisheart (World Vision International), Mario Ottiglio (IFPMA), Kim Fortunato (Campbell Soup Company), Jean-Michel Borys (EPODE), Cary Adams (NCD Alliance), Louise Kantrow (ICC), Peter Robinson (USCIB)

The world’s worst killers – non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as obesity, heart disease and many cancers – are responsible for over 60 percent of premature deaths worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

NCDs diminish economic growth and sap productivity among working age populations, since these diseases affect adults in their prime. NCDs also push households into poverty and disproportionately affect low-income countries, where the diseases strike younger populations and place great strains on already overburdened healthcare systems.

Despite these grave threats, NCDs are largely preventable by mobilizing governments, civil society and the private sector to craft sound public health policies. Governments alone struggle to manage NCDs because the diseases drive up healthcare costs and divert scarce resources from other areas that need them. Given the strain the NCD epidemic places on national healthcare systems, the United Nations 66th World Health Assembly reiterated a call for member states to consider interventions across many segments of society for NCDs prevention and control. Part of the UN’s Post-2015 Development Agenda aims to scale up multi-stakeholder responses to NCDs.

It is under this backdrop that USCIB and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) organized a meeting on July 11 hosted by Pfizer that explored how public-private partnerships can be leveraged to combat the NCD epidemic. USCIB and the ICC are the only private sector organizations representing business that interface with the United Nations on NCD prevention at a multistakeholder level. The public-private partnership discussion took place during the UN High-Level Meeting to review progress achieved in the fight against the NCD epidemic in the context of the post-2015 development agenda.

Panelists at the pubic-private partnership event included Cary Adams, CEO of the Union for International Cancer Control and chair of the NCD Alliance; Jean-Michel Borys, general secretary of the EPODE International Network; Kim Fortunato, director of Campbell Healthy Communities at the Campbell Soup Company; Mario Ottiglio, director of public affairs and global health policy at the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations (IFPMA); and Mike Wisheart, senior advisor of corporate engagement, advocacy and justice for children at World Vision International. The discussion was moderated by Louise Kantrow, ICC’s permanent representative to the United Nations.

A dozen government officials attended the event, including Ambassador Courtenay Rattray, the Jamaican ambassador to the United Nations and co-chair of the UN General Assembly meeting on NCDs. Ambassador Rattray is also the co-facilitator of the outcome document on the review and assessment of NCDs. The event drew dozens of NGO, civil society and private sector representatives as well.

Following welcoming remarks by USCIB President and CEO Peter Robinson, panelists explained that a multistakeholder approach is necessary to address the epidemic, with Adams noting that “partnerships are the only way we can address these things called NCDs.”

Borys and others agreed that all of civil society’s stakeholders need to take charge at the global, regional and local levels to combat childhood obesity and other forms of non-communicable diseases, and that global coordination mechanisms are key for making the most out of public-private partnerships.

“This group of industry representatives understood that business can only survive in societies that flourish,” Kantrow said referring to the panelists, “they understand the importance of thriving in successful societies.”

Since the UN called on the global community to address the NCD epidemic in 2012, public-private partnerships addressing NCDs have more than doubled, according to Ottiglio. He presented the findings of an IFPMA global survey, which revealed that NCD public-private partnerships have increased and are present virtually everywhere around the world. Ottiglio said that IFPMA “reaches three million people worldwide through a strong volunteer network in 189 countries” committed to combating NCDs.

During the discussion, Fortunato offered a case study of the Campbell’s philanthropic work in Camden, N.J., where childhood obesity is high. She stressed the importance of collective partnering, which is the cornerstone of Campbell’s corporate philanthropy program, as well as committing to a collective impact model in which private companies work with all levels of government to address NCDs.

Multi-stakeholder involvement was a recurring theme during the discussion, with Wisheart explaining that “we need actors from all sectors of civil society,” and “we want to see more partnerships, working at greater speed, having greater impact. To address the trust issues that sometimes arise with public-private partnerships, Wisheart noted that the best way to manage partnerships risks is to ensure there are strong accountability mechanisms that increase the space for collaboration.

Helen Medina, USCIB’s senior director of product policy and innovation, concluded: “The private sector understands the urgency needed to address non-communicable diseases and has an interest in curbing them for a variety of reasons, including having productive employees providing products and technical support to manage NCDs, and sustaining a long-term relationship with the communities in which it works. At the end of the day, it makes economic sense for business to be involved in curbing NCDs, and it’s extremely important for social and economic development.”

Staff contacts: Louise Kantrow and Helen Medina

More on USCIB’s Health Care Working Group