Non‑profit experiences of food industry influence in five European countries (FOODPATH)
E Van Duin, A Van Puyvelde, G Cardon, JM Harrington, N O’Connor, G Kaner, MP Poelman, SK Djojosoeparto, N Sonneveld, P Romaniuk, S VandevijvereAbstract
Background
Industry may engage in corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives through partnerships with non-profit organizations. Such collaborations may offer benefits, they can also create conflicts of interest or influence non-profits’ agendas. Non-profits can be influential actors in public health advocacy and may be strategic targets for CSR. Yet, evidence on how non-profits experience and navigate interactions with industry remains limited. This study identified interactions between non-profits organisations and the food and beverage industry.
Methods
A document analysis mapping interactions between non-profits (public health or poverty-focused) and the food and non-alcoholic beverage industry. Semi-structured interviews with representatives from non-profits in Belgium (n = 15), The Netherlands (n = 8), Ireland (n = 9), Türkiye (n = 19), and Poland (n = 12) were conducted. Interview data were thematically analysed, combining deductive and inductive coding to explore the experiences and strategies related to non-profit–industry interactions.
Results
Despite concerns regarding the role of the food industry in relation to health and policy advocacy, non-profits engaged with food industry actors. Interactions ranged from financial sponsorships and joint programmes to informal engagement in policy fora. Most non-profits lacked formal safeguards to manage conflicts of interest. They advocated for a stronger position of civil society organizations to counter or balance the industry on their work and public health.
Conclusions
Centring the perspectives of European non-profit organizations, this study advanced the understanding of CSR strategies and how they impact non-profit organizations. These findings highlight the need for stronger governance frameworks and clear safeguards to protect the independence of non-profits providing an empirical basis for developing guidance to manage industry engagement and support equitable, health-promoting policies and environments.