Commercial influence health toolkit aims to guide local councils
Researchers describe a new toolkit to help local authorities manage business relationships that may affect public health.
By Lucas Ferreira · Science & Environment Writer
3 min read
A commercial influence health toolkit has been developed to help local authorities decide how to deal with business interests that can affect public health. The work matters because councils often have to weigh potential benefits from commercial relationships against possible health harms, according to the University of Bath.
The project is described in a paper published in Public Health in Practice. The paper was co-authored by Anna Brook of the University of Bath, a member of Local Health and Global Profits, and Katherine Körner of Lewisham Council.
The tool, called the Good Governance Toolkit, was published by the Association of Directors of Public Health. The University of Bath said the report design was funded by the Spectrum research consortium and the University of Stirling.
What is the Good Governance Toolkit?
The Good Governance Toolkit is a practical guide built from research to help local authorities make decisions about commercial contact, influence and relationships. In this context, commercial influence on health means the ways business activity and business relationships can shape public health outcomes.
According to the paper, the toolkit is meant to help councils choose policies that fit local circumstances rather than push every authority toward the same answer. Its purpose is to support decisions that keep public health risks in view while allowing authorities to consider possible benefits.
The development team drew on published research, gray literature and input from researchers, practitioners and nongovernmental organization colleagues, the University of Bath said. Gray literature generally refers to reports, guidance and other material produced outside conventional academic publishing.
How the toolkit was developed
The authors set out four principles for turning evidence into something councils could use. They said the toolkit should include only material that helps local authority staff address local problems, and that a timely tool that can be improved through use was preferable to waiting for a perfect version.
They also said the toolkit should help authorities reach decisions suited to their own setting, and that each recommendation should be based on existing evidence about health harms and ways to reduce them.
- Include material directly useful for local authority work.
- Produce guidance in time for use, with scope to improve it later.
- Support local policy choices rather than prescribe one response.
- Base recommendations on evidence about harms and responses.
The finished toolkit has seven sections, according to the University of Bath. It includes flowcharts, evidence, practical guidance, frequently asked questions and a glossary.
Its modular design means local authorities can use the parts that match their needs. The University of Bath said those uses could include drafting new policy, making the case for internal change, informing training or supporting one-off decisions.
What remains untested
The authors said the toolkit had not been fully put into practice when the paper was published. That means its feasibility in routine local government work has not yet been established.
An evaluation of implementation and impact is now underway, led by Local Health and Global Profits, according to the University of Bath. The paper is titled “Developing the good governance toolkit: a research-derived actionable tool” and carries the DOI 10.1016/j.puhip.2026.100823.
This story draws on original reporting from Phys.org.