Advancing Monitoring and Intervention Strategies for Commercial Determinants of Health
Exploring how regulations and transparency in corporate practices can improve public health by reducing harmful influences, promoting better policy and corporate accountability.
Recent research highlights the importance of systematically tracking and addressing the influence of corporate practices on public health. A study conducted by scholars from Yale University and the City University of New York emphasizes that implementing regulations requiring corporations to disclose harmful activities—such as marketing tactics, toxic emissions, and workplace hazards—can significantly enhance public health protections. Such transparency enables governments to better regulate harmful corporate behaviors that contribute to chronic diseases, mental health issues, global warming, and pollution.
The researchers identify two critical steps for progress: developing robust systems to measure corporate practices impacting health and formulating effective policies to mitigate these effects. A major challenge remains the scarcity of accessible, high-quality data on corporate actions, as existing efforts often rely on voluntary or incomplete disclosures. One promising approach examined is corporate nonfinancial reporting, including environmental, social, and governance disclosures. However, these reports face issues like inconsistency, superficiality, or greenwashing, which can undermine their reliability.
To overcome these hurdles, the study draws lessons from global initiatives and proposes five key principles for policy development: focusing on high-impact actions; addressing harmful practices across multiple levels; encouraging cooperation among governments, civil society, and international bodies; anticipating unintended consequences; and effectively communicating the urgency of addressing commercial influences on health.
By adhering to these principles, policymakers and corporations can reduce the adverse effects of unethical business practices. This effort can contribute substantially to lowering the prevalence of chronic and infectious diseases, mental health problems, environmental degradation, and pollution, ultimately fostering a healthier society.
More information on this research can be found in the article "Toward Monitoring and Addressing the Commercial Determinants of Health: Where Can We Go From Here?" published in The Milbank Quarterly (2025).
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