Giving Compass' Take:

• This case study from Shared Value Initiative highlights how pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk is working to change the narrative and harmful social norms around obesity in the U.S.

• It's all about community engagement. What can other organizations do to create more holistic and systems-level interventions on the problem of obesity?

• Here's more about how communities can help lower kids’ obesity risk.

In a new case study, the Shared Value Initiative spotlights Novo Nordisk as a leading example of a company that has found a business opportunity in helping to solve a pressing social issue. The case study profiles how Novo Nordisk is partnering with the community to shift harmful norms around obesity; recognizing the unmet public health needs and taking a shared value approach, with a long-term goal to break through the many barriers that currently prevent effective obesity care in the United States.

Obesity is a major health issue that few pharmaceutical companies have attempted to address, even though the disease affects around four in 10 adult Americans. Every day across the country people living with obesity are met with prejudice, discrimination and a lack of compassion. Most health systems recognize the challenges of obesity and may officially classify it as a disease, but few healthcare professionals are trained in obesity management and, the disease is often not addressed, if at all, until related conditions, such as type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease, arise.

Insurance coverage for comprehensive solutions and tools remains limited and significant needs remain unmet, at a substantial cost to employers and government. The Milken Institute found the total U.S. costs for the treatment of health conditions related to obesity and excess weight totaled $1.72 trillion annually, including medical and indirect economic costs (such as loss of productivity and absenteeism).

Read the full article about the commitment to transform obesity care by Shared Value Initiative at CSR Wire.