In the global fight against hunger and malnutrition, few organizations are as impactful as the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN). Since its launch in 2002, GAIN has led initiatives looking to tackle malnutrition, working with governments, businesses and civil societies to transform the food system and deliver more nutritious food to all people, especially those most vulnerable.

In recent years, GAIN has placed an emphasis on workforce nutrition, partnering with local stakeholders to launch programs to improve employee health. Workforce nutrition has the potential to dramatically reduce malnutrition in many countries, as some 58% of the global population spends one third of their time at work as adults. ­­

Mirjam Kneepkens is a nutritionist and an Associate at GAIN, where she works to promote workforce nutrition programs with a global network of businesses, spanning from Mozambique to Bangladesh. Last year, Eat Well Global worked with GAIN and the Scaling Up Nutrition Business Network (SBN) to develop the Nutrition at Work handbook, a resource for businesses looking to offer healthy food to employees in emerging markets. The handbook is one of the ‘building blocks’ of the support program from the Workforce Nutrition Alliance, an initiative between GAIN and the Consumer Goods Forum.

As the COVID-19 pandemic disrupts how people and businesses operate, the importance of workforce nutrition programs and tools like the Nutrition at Work handbook have never been more relevant. In fact, many businesses have the opportunity to support their employees through these challenging times by offering healthy food during the workday.

To spread the word of the importance of good nutrition in the workplace, Mirjam works with SBN to disseminate the handbook in countries around the world. Local SBN networks also encourage their member companies to implement workforce nutrition programs and provide support for execution, working with local nutrition experts to help customize interventions to best meet the on-the-ground needs of different populations.

Want to find out more about workforce nutrition, the Nutrition at Work handbook, or Eat Well Global’s work with GAIN? Contact apigatto@eatwellglobal.com with any questions.