Researchers from the Local Health Global Profits (LHGP) research consortium will present work on local responses to commercial determinants of health at the 18th European Public Health Conference in Helsinki, 11-14 November 2025.
The conference's main theme, Investing for sustainable health and well-being, aligns closely with LHGP's mission to understand how communities can effectively challenge corporate practices that harm health, and to identify innovative solutions that protect population well-being.
Professor Anna Gilmore, LHGP Director, will chair a scientific session entitled Strengthening local responses to the commercial determinants of health on Thursday, 13 November. The session brings together LHGP researchers to showcase how local authorities and communities can address corporate influence on health. Presenters include Dr Tania Griffin, Dr Benjamin Hawkins, Dr Charlotte Head, Dr Amber van den Akker, Dr Nancy Karreman, and Dr Esther Chanakira.
Professor Gilmore will also present on Addressing commercial and other determinants of health through an upstream systems perspective, introducing the LHGP research consortium and its work examining both individual health-harming industries and the systemic drivers of harm.
Introducing LHGP to the European public health community
LHGP's presence extends beyond this dedicated scientific session, with consortium members presenting research posters throughout the conference. Professor Gilmore will further contribute to a high-level plenary session on Tackling political and commercial determinants through policy and governance, alongside leading international figures, including Ilona Kickbusch, Founder of the Global Health Centre in Geneva; Sandro Galea, Dean of the School of Public Health at Washington University; and Mika Salminen, Director-General of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).
In addition, Professor Harry Rutter will participate in a pre-conference panel discussion examining current political developments and their implications for public health and equity, bringing LHGP's systems-thinking approach to debates on non-communicable disease prevention policy.
Local innovation, global impact
While commercial determinants operate globally, the consortium's research demonstrates that meaningful change often begins at the community level, where local authorities are pioneering new approaches to resist corporate influence and prioritise population health.
Professor Gilmore said:
One of the unique strengths of Local Health Global Profits is our focus on what can be achieved at the local level, where we're seeing remarkable innovation in tackling commercial determinants of health.
Taking place in Helsinki, ranked the 11th best city for congresses worldwide and capital of the world's happiest country for seven consecutive years, the conference will explore the very factors behind Finland's success: strong social support networks, social trust, honest governance, safe environments, and healthy lives - all themes central to LHGP's work.
LHGP is a research consortium examining how commercial actors influence health at local, national and global levels, with a particular focus on identifying effective local responses to corporate practices that harm health. LHGP is one of the first research grants to focus specifically on addressing commercial determinants of health and is part of the wider Population Health Improvement (PHI) network funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).
For more information on the European Public Health Conference, visit: https://ephconference.eu/index.php
