BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Private Sector Organization (CPSO) has launched the Region’s first “Reporting Framework for Private Sector NCD Reduction Initiatives”, marking what it describes as a major step forward in coordinating and scaling business-led responses to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) across the Region.
The project was unveiled during a virtual session on Tuesday and provides a structured system to document, measure, and amplify private sector contributions to reducing NCDs, one of the Caribbean’s most pressing public health challenges.
The CPSO said that NCDs account for approximately 78 per cent of all deaths in the Caribbean, placing sustained pressure on health systems, economic performance, and workforce productivity.
It said until now, there has been no unified mechanism to capture and assess the private sector’s role in addressing this crisis.
“For too long, the private sector has been viewed as a bystander in the NCD crisis. We are making it clear that we are active partners in this fight. This Framework is yet another down payment to ensure that this unfortunate perception ends today,” said Dr. Patrick Antoine, the CPSO’s chief executive officer and technical director.
“The Framework is a decisive step toward demonstrating our commitment and ensuring that our contributions are visible, measurable, and impactful,” he said of the initiative that was developed under the leadership of Dr. Alison Gajadhar-Foster, technical consultant, in partnership with the CPSO private sector working group on NCDs
The CPSO said that across CARICOM, businesses have already been investing in employee wellness programmes, product reformulation, expanded health benefits, mental health initiatives, and community-based education and outreach. However, much of this work has remained fragmented and underreported.
It said the Reporting Framework addresses this gap by enabling organizations, regardless of size or sector, to systematically track their initiatives, measure outcomes, and share best practices across member states. It also creates opportunities to scale successful interventions at the regional level.
“What gets measured gets managed, and what gets reported gets recognised. For the first time, companies across the Region will have a standardized approach to documenting and strengthening their contributions to NCD reduction,” Antoine said.
CPSO chairman, Gervase Warner, spoke of the critical role of the private sector in advancing public health outcomes.
“Businesses have a direct responsibility to the health and well-being of their employees and customers. By taking the lead and demonstrating our efforts, we position ourselves as essential partners in tackling this challenge across the Region.”
Warner noted that shifting consumer preferences toward healthier products and lifestyles present both a public health opportunity and a strategic business advantage, particularly as companies adapt to evolving regional and global markets.
The CPSO said it is encouraging widespread adoption of the Framework and has reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with the Guyana-based CARICOM Secretariat, regional institutions, and civil society partners to strengthen health outcomes and build a more resilient Caribbean civilization.
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