How can we effectively integrate businesses into work on childhood obesity?

The trailblazers are trying to understand what motivates business in this agenda and how to limit the impact of unhealthy food environments. Two questions are seen as being particularly important: 

• How can we engage better with food businesses and what part can council services such as environmental health play in the process?
• How can we link businesses with wider social action on healthy eating and national ‘calls to action’?

Engaging businesses

Four approaches that can help organisations to develop constructive relationships with businesses on child obesity are:

• step into the business’ shoes and begin the conversation from a commercial or business perspective rather than a health or obesity one
• talk to people in other council services such as environmental health, trading standards and economic development to get contacts and a better understanding of the business perspective
• help businesses to think about how healthier food can support their commercial objectives
• offer masterclasses, training and awards to restaurants and other businesses.

Using the current context to prompt businesses to implement positive change

The current focus on health and food, as a result of Covid-19 and the work of people like Marcus Rashford, has created a context in which businesses may be more likely to think about their impact of health. Possible steps that can be taken locally include: 

• seize opportunities to work with businesses, particularly those that are community-led: such as Birmingham’s Food Justice Network
• take advantage of national ‘calls to action, using campaigns such as Marcus Rashford’s to generate local interest
• remember that the goal  of having healthy children can be as attractive to businesses as it is to public health professionals
• encouraging businesses to use the opening up of the economy following lockdown as a time for new approaches to healthy eating.