Recognising positive and impactful business action for improved nutrition – the SBN Nutrition Action Business Award

Eating a balanced, healthy, and nutritious diet is critical for good health and development, but a third of the world’s population still suffers from at least one form of malnutrition.

Addressing malnutrition is a key opportunity for businesses to invest in the production, marketing, and distribution of affordable nutritious food products to low-income consumers, as well as looking to directly improve the nutrition of their own workforce. This has led to a bourgeoning number of global multinational companies, as well as local Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs), engaged in nutrition. From focusing on producing and adding nutritious value to food at an affordable price, to implementing workforce nutrition programmes, the private sector plays a key role in driving long-term nutrition outcomes.

As the world marks Nutrition for Growth Summit, 2021 in Japan, it is important to shine a light on the potential for positive business action around nutrition and showcase specific initiatives taken to support nutritious food systems.

In the drive to boost a world without malnutrition, the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Business Network has launched the Nutrition Action Business Award to honour businesses that have demonstrated positive and impactful nutrition actions within their business models, operations, or Corporate Social Responsible (CSR) initiatives.

This award will be marked annually to recognise successfully implemented nutrition focused initiatives that specifically address improved nutrition and eating habits at home, work, schools or within the community.  Projects targeted are those focusing on addressing specific nutrition outcomes, including undernutrition, overweight/obesity and micronutrient deficiencies such as anaemia, zinc, iodine amongst others. Initiatives with special focus on nutritionally vulnerable populations, such as pregnant women, lactating mothers and schoolchildren are also encouraged.

The awards

The Nutrition Action Business Award will recognize and applaud the efforts made by both global and national SBN members to improve nutrition.

The award aims to showcase the range of achievements made by the private sector around nutrition by spreading best practices, instigating dialogue and inspiring other businesses to increase their commitments to nutrition.

How to apply

A call for nominations will be launched on 7^th December, 2021, via the SBN website https://sunbusinessnetwork.org/ and will be announced alongside the Nutrition for Growth Summit. Applications are open to global and national SBN Members only and should detail a specific initiative they have been working on to improve nutrition. Applications will be shortlisted by the SBN Global Team and a panel of key SBN stakeholders will select the final award recipients.  The first winners will be announced in Spring 2022, as part of the SBN’s 10-year anniversary celebrations, with additional winners being announced over the course of 2022 as part of the continued anniversary festivities.

The application should reach the SUN Business Network Secretariat on or before 28 February 2022. Apply HERE

What’s in it for business?

Although the Nutrition Action Business Award is a non-financial award, there are several benefits for businesses to apply:

• Recognition of company’s leadership in addressing hunger and malnutrition
• Increased visibility opportunities on highlighting the company’s CSR and nutrition-positive business activity around and beyond the specific initiative

For more information please contact the SBN Secretariat at hannah.rowlands@wfp.org / sbn@gainhealth.org