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SBN Case Study: Strategic Partnership

Keeping focus: How SBN member commitments are helping achieve nutrition goals


When joining SBN, new members are asked if they would like to make one or more nutrition- focused commitments. These can involve elements such as developing new and fortified formulations, creating accessible pricing, increasing distribution, and assisting in nutrition awareness creation. National SBNs in Mozambique, Nigeria and Tanzania  applied this strategy in its membership process early on, and this has provided SBN with useful data and insights.

This case study unpacks SBN’s first attempt at evaluating its member commitment approach across three networks. It will assess the data and review the extent to which members have been able to progress their commitments, how they’ve been supported by SBN, the challenges that have been faced, and propose recommendations for the future.

Understanding the big picture

To gain an understanding of progress being made by businesses in their nutrition commitments, most national SBN networks conduct an annual survey – taking note of whether they have made improvements to quality, pricing, and/or the volume of nutritious and safe foods. The survey also aims to collect insights on member partnerships facilitated by SBN, and take into account feedback on how the network can better support its members.

Typically, assessments are conducted through in-person interviews and questionnaires held by an independent consultant in each country, although they were carried out virtually in 2020 due to COVID-19-related restrictions. With varying response rates following requests for interviews, the final sample  in Mozambique , Nigeria and Tanzania was 65 , 51 and 13 members respectively.

The sampled membership are located in various regions across these countries, and work in sectors ranging from agriculture, food and beverage, and manufacturing, to health, transport and logistics, retail and distribution, and advocacy.

Variations on a theme

Although many work in similar fields, the approaches to commitments made by businesses across the three countries notably differed – partly of their own accord, and somewhat resulting from the SBN enrolment rules in each country.

In Mozambique, for instance, members are asked to make at least one commitment from a list of 20 falling under four categories: improve the nutritional profile of products under the company portfolio, develop new nutritious products, improve pricing and distribution, and implement a workplace nutrition programme.

Meanwhile, in Nigeria, members are encouraged to make their commitment ‘SMART’ (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely) – and with no set number or criteria attached, this option is more flexible and open-ended. Of the 51 members sampled in this country, 25% have specific SMART commitments (adhering to all five elements), while the remaining commitments fit into at least one SMART category (such as measurable or achievable).

Finally, in Tanzania, members are asked to select up to four corporate commitments from 18 goals that sit within seven different categories, including corporate strategy and management, supporting healthy diets and lifestyles, engagement with policymakers, and appropriate formulation of products.