Developing the good governance toolkit: a research-derived actionable tool

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Policy
• Governance Studies

Background:

• Commercial interactions pose complex challenges to public health.
• Effective governance is crucial for mitigating risks and maximizing benefits from commercial activities.
• There is a need for practical tools to guide decision-making in this emerging field.

Purpose of the Study:

• To share learnings from developing a Research-Derived Actionable Tool (RDAT).
• To improve the governance of commercial interactions for public health benefit.
• To introduce The Good Governance Toolkit.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach was employed, integrating evidence synthesis with expert consultation.
• Four decision-making principles guided scope and evidence evaluation.
• Synthesis included published literature, grey literature, and diverse expert perspectives (research, practice, NGOs).

Main Results:

• The methodology facilitated the creation of The Good Governance Toolkit, an RDAT.
• The expert panel deemed the toolkit feasible and acceptable for use.
• The development process demonstrated the possibility of creating proactive tools for emerging public health areas.

Conclusions:

• A novel RDAT, The Good Governance Toolkit, was successfully developed.
• The toolkit addresses the need for improved governance in commercial interactions impacting public health.
• Further evaluation of the RDAT's impact is currently in progress.