SQ-LNS Task Force Principles of Engagement

Preamble
The SQ-LNS Task Force was formed to catalyze efforts to scale-up SQ-LNS for the prevention of undernutrition among children 6-23 months of age in nutritionally vulnerable settings. The SQ-LNS Task Force is comprised of a Steering Committee and the following five Working Groups: 1) Advocacy; 2) Cost and cost-effectiveness; 3) Operational Guidance; 4) Operational Research; 5) Supply and regulatory issues. The Secretariat of the SQ-LNS Task Force is based at the University of California Davis. 

The following Principles of Engagement were developed to guide the Task Force’s approach to funding. They were developed with input from organizations represented on the Steering Committee. 

The following principles guide the Task Force’s approach to communication, interaction and engagement:

  • Throughout all interactions and engagements, the Task Force and its Secretariat shall maintain objectivity, integrity, independence, and impartiality.
  • All interactions between the SQ-LNS Task Force and others shall be based primarily on: i) sound, evidence-based, public health nutrition science and practice; and ii) the potential to advance the mission of the SQ-LNS Task Force.
  • The pursuit of the goal to improve child nutrition in vulnerable settings shall take precedence over any individual stakeholder's interests in the Task Force.
  • The Task Force shall not grant any unfair competitive advantage to any stakeholder and shall safeguard a level playing field for all.
  • Participation in the Task Force does not imply or provide endorsement of or preference for any individual organization, its products, or services by the Task Force.

 

Types of engagement

     1. Financial support

  • The SQ-LNS Task Force will not accept funding from private sector entities that produce or sell alcohol, tobacco, armaments, adult content; entities involved in gambling or coal extraction; or producers or retailers of breast milk substitutes, as defined in the WHO Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes; or manufacturers and/or retailers of complementary food that don’t comply with World Health Assembly Resolution 69.9. It will also not accept funding from private sector entities that produce or sell unhealthy food or beverages1, nor from any entities that produce or sell LNS products. The Task Force will also not accept funding from non-private sector entities representing the interests of the private sector engaged in any of the activities described above.
  • Potential funders that are not clearly excluded on the basis of the above criteria will be reviewed and evaluated on a case-by-case basis, if such funding has the potential to provide meaningful added value to the advancement of the collective SQ-LNS Task Force agenda. The review process will assess whether an organization’s work and services:
    • Are in alignment with the goals of the SQ-LNS Task Force;
    • Do not present any undue risks to the Task Force's ability to execute its mission or to the Task Force's reputation.
      • Examples of the kinds of risk that the review process might consider include, but are not limited to:
        • The risk that an entity’s activities may be deemed incompatible with the advancement of good public health practice,
        • The risk that the entity may not be able to fulfill its obligations under the terms of stakeholder engagement,
        • The risk that an entity’s reputation may seriously impede the Task Force’s ability to maintain membership and/or execute its strategic or operation plan.
    • A due diligence process regarding potential financial support will be developed using a checklist of questions developed by the Secretariat. UC Davis will take the lead on the due diligence assessment but the Secretariat will ask the other organizations represented on the Steering Committee to assist with collecting information on candidate donors, as necessary. A report describing the information collected will be provided to the Steering Committee. Unanimous agreement (i.e. no opposition) amongst all organizations represented on the Steering Committee will be required to accept funding (one vote per organization). At present there are 8 organizations (i.e. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, Eleanor Crook Foundation, Helen Keller Intl, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), University of California (Davis, San Francisco), World Bank Group, World Food Programme (WFP)).
    • Financial support that is approved for the SQ-LNS Task Force and the Working Groups will be managed by the Secretariat in accordance with the approved use for the funds. Financial support will be acknowledged on the SQ-LNS Task Force website without use of logos. In addition, the website will include a statement explaining that decisions of the Steering Committee to accept funding should not be taken to represent the views of any constituent organization in the Task Force.

1 Foods or beverages high in free sugars, artificial sweeteners, salt, saturated or trans fats.

 

      2. Membership in the Task Force (participation in Working Groups or meetings)

Membership in the SQ-LNS Task Force is open to individuals/representatives from organizations that are actively engaged in efforts to improve child health and nutrition in resource-limited settings.  Members should express a particular interest in the focus of one or more of the Working Groups.  Members are expected to actively participate in Working Group meetings (typically scheduled every 2-3 months) and to contribute to key activities the Working Group is pursuing.  Individuals interested in joining the Task Force should contact the SQ-LNS Secretariat at: sqlnstaskforce@ad3.ucdavis.edu.  

The SQ-LNS Task Force acknowledges the critical role that producers of SQ-LNS play in scaling-up coverage of this important intervention.  A long-term goal is open and transparent information-sharing with the entire community of SQ-LNS producers.  In the meantime, to respect the Conflict of Interest policies of our partner organizations, individual producers are not represented on the SQ-LNS Task Force.
 

     3. Membership in the Steering Committee (participation in decision-making)

Steering Committee membership consists of representatives from stakeholder organizations or agencies with a long-standing commitment to the improvement of child health and nutrition that are playing a key role in the financing, design, implementation and/or evaluation of programs and policies related to SQ-LNS.  Membership in the Steering Committee is possible upon invitation by the Secretariat for entities that can demonstrate a clear commitment and support to the vision of the Task Force.  Each of these organizations may choose to identify a primary representative and a secondary/alternative representative to ensure that the organization is fully represented at all meetings.  The Chair, or at least one of the two co-Chairs, of each Working Group will also be invited to serve on the Steering Committee to promote comprehensive information sharing across the Task Force.  These individuals will serve as non-voting members, if they are not already representing one of the organizations on the Steering Committee.  If the need to expand Steering Committee membership in response to a particular issue arises, input/approval from existing SC members will be sought.