Globally in 2016, 22.9% or 154.8 million children under 5 years of age suffered from child stunting, defined by a low height-for-age. Child stunting can happen in the first 1000 days after conception and is related to many factors, including socioeconomic status,1 dietary intake, infections, maternal nutritional status, infectious diseases, micronutrient deficiencies and the environment.
In 2016, 87 million stunted children lived in Asia, 59 million in Africa and 6 million in the Latin American and Caribbean regions.
Stunted children with deficiencies of iodine and iron may suffer irreversible brain damage, impeding them from reaching their complete developmental potential. They have a shorter adult height and a higher susceptibility to chronic diseases in adulthood, lower attained schooling and reduced adult income. Stunted and wasted children also have a higher mortality risk, which is increased when the two conditions coexist in the same population.
Delivering our purpose in RB by providing innovative solutions for healthier lives and happier homes – enables us to support the delivery of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by working to eradicate the burden of preventable disease, improving infant and child nutrition (particularly during the first 1000 days) and helping the world live more sustainably within its planetary boundaries. Critical to this is how we integrate sustainability into our day-to-day business operations and across our value chains.
The company’s mission is to nourish the world’s children for the best start in life.
RB is proud to support the Lead2030 challenge for SDG 2. This challenge seeks to support solutions which work to end malnutrition. Challenge submissions must focus on: achieving, by 2025, the internationally agreed targets on stunting and wasting in children under 5 years of age or addressing the nutritional needs of adolescent girls, older persons or pregnant and lactating women.
Applicants should demonstrate impact in at least one of the following areas:
- Ensure pregnant and lactating women have the best nutrition and sanitation conditions in undernourished populations to reduce stunting in the first 1000 days, the risk of low-birth-weight neonates and adverse perinatal outcomes.
- Ensure children under 5 years old do not suffer from hunger and ensure they receive the adequate nutrients to support their mental and physical development.
The winning solution will receive
- A $50,000 grant from RB
- 12 months of mentorship from a team of RB employees and partners. The mentorship team will work to accelerate your solution by assisting with aspects such as:
- Business strategy
- Best practices for data collection
- Monitoring and evaluation
- Product design
- Marketing
Scholarship & Career 