Five Ways that Businesses Impact Children’s Health

World Health Day is a global event held annually on April 7th to commemorate the establishment of the World Health Organization (WHO). This year, the theme is “Health For All,” which emphasizes the importance of healthcare for everyone, including children, the most vulnerable members of society.

For businesses, this means recognizing their social responsibility to prioritize children’s health and well-being. By providing safe and healthy products and services, supporting healthy lifestyle choices, and investing in programs that improve children’s health, companies can play a critical role in creating a healthier future for all.

So, what are some of the ways that business impacts children’s health? Here are five ways.

1. Marketing unhealthy products: Companies that produce and promote unhealthy food and drinks, such as sugary snacks, sodas, and fast food, can have a significant impact on the health of children. Studies have shown that exposure to food marketing can increase the consumption of unhealthy foods, leading to obesity, diabetes, and other health issues. Our latest benchmark, which focused on the Food, Beverage & Personal Care sector found that product safety and marketing is lacking. This is especially surprising within this sector – whose products and services are often available to children
2. Polluting the environment: Companies that produce and dispose of hazardous chemicals and pollutants can adversely affect children’s health. Exposure to air pollution, water contamination, and toxic substances can lead to respiratory diseases, developmental disorders, and other health problems. As Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director, says, “The climate crisis is a child rights crisis.” UNICEF’s report, of the same name provides the first comprehensive view of children’s exposure and vulnerability to the impacts of climate change through the Children’s Climate Risk Index (CCRI).
3. Exploiting child labour: Companies that employ child labour or support suppliers that do so can directly impact the health and well-being of children. Child labour often deprives children of their rights to education, healthcare, and a safe and healthy environment, leading to physical and mental health issues. Although child labour* has been on the corporate agenda for over two decades, statistics from the ILO and UNICEF show that child labour is increasing, with more than 160 million children still working under conditions detrimental to their development.
4. Providing unsafe products: Companies that produce or sell products, such as toys, cribs, or car seats, can directly affect the health and safety of children. Product safety is critically important for children’s health and well-being because children are particularly vulnerable to injuries and health hazards. These products can cause injuries, accidents, or even death, especially if they are not properly designed, manufactured, or labeled.
5. Parental leave policies have an impact on a child’s mental well-being: Parental leave policies can have a positive impact on children’s health and well-being by supporting bonding, breastfeeding, parental mental health, quality of care, and economic stability.

When it comes to children’s health, businesses have a major role to play. From the food industry to the technology sector, companies impact young people’s health through the products they create, the marketing they use, and the practices they follow. With childhood obesity rates and other health issues on the rise, it’s becoming increasingly clear that businesses need to prioritize wellness to safeguard the health of future generations. By creating healthier products, promoting healthy behaviors, and supporting public health initiatives, businesses can help ensure children’s brighter, healthier future.

At Global Child Forum, we support companies with our tools and services, helping them integrate a children’s rights approach into their operations and communities. ‘Health for All’ means a healthy start – and future — for our children.

* Child labour is defined by the ILO as: “work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential, and their dignity, and that is harmful to physical and mental development.”