Royal DSM N.V. Awarded for Global Corporate Leadership
05 Dec 2013 --- Michael J. Klag, MD, MPH, dean of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, has awarded the Dean’s Medal—the School’s highest honor—to Royal DSM N.V. in recognition of its global corporate leadership in efforts to mitigate food insecurity, prevent hidden hunger and promote sustainable development in low-income countries.
The Dean’s Medal recognizes significant contributions to the field of public health. This is the first time the medal will honor an organization, rather than an individual. Stephan Tanda, DSM Managing Board member responsible for nutrition, accepted the Dean’s Medal on behalf of DSM on 3 December, 2013, at the Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, Md., at a celebration marking the 100th anniversary of the discovery of vitamins.
Royal DSM is a global science-based company active in health, nutrition and materials and is the world’s leading micronutrients firm. Over the past decade, DSM has distinguished itself through its support of Sight and Life, a global humanitarian entity dedicated to preventing hidden hunger (micronutrient deficiencies) through advocacy, technical assistance, education and collaboration with governmental and non-governmental agencies. DSM is partnered with the United Nations’ World Food Programme to ameliorate the consequences of food insecurity and hidden hunger and is also working with World Vision to reduce stunting amongst the 165 million under-5 children currently affected.
DSM has a sustained collaboration with the Johns Hopkins Center in Human Nutrition in supporting intervention trials to prevent micronutrient deficiencies in women and children in South Asia, providing overseas internships for masters’ degree students and awarding scholarships for doctoral degree research within the Department of International Health to advance the prevention of malnutrition in the developing world.
“I am proud to award the hidden hunger an undernutrition Dean’s Medal to DSM in recognition of the company’s global service to public health and humanity,” said Klag. “DSM has been an invaluable and trusted collaborator for many years in research and in the commitment to stronger scholarship in human nutrition. We look forward to a bright future of working together to prevent micronutrient deficiencies around the world in the years ahead.” In accepting the award on behalf of DSM, Tanda said, “We are committed to developing and delivering innovative nutrition solutions to public health issues such as hidden hunger an undernutrition, and are therefore incredibly honored to receive the Dean’s Medial from such a prestigious organization.”
At the same event, Klaus Kraemer, PhD was appointed as Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of International Health, honoring his academic and scientific contributions to addressing the global public health issue of micronutrient deficiencies in developing countries. Dr. Kraemer is currently the Director of Sight and Life, the humanitarian nutrition think tank of DSM. Inspired by a vision of a world free from malnutrition, Sight and Life assists to improve the lives of some of the world’s most vulnerable populations. It does this by supporting innovations that aim to eradicate malnutrition, promoting research, sharing best practice and mobilizing support.
Previous recipients of the Dean’s Medal include Sid Lerner, Chairman of the Monday Campaigns; Suzanne and Bob Wright, the founders of Autism Speaks; William Foege, MD, MPH, celebrated epidemiologist and physician instrumental in smallpox eradication; Richard Besser, MD, health and medical editor for ABC News; Richard Horton, editor of The Lancet; Pulitzer Prize-winning author David Oshinsky; David Heymann, MD, Assistant Director-General for Health Security Environment and Representative of the Director-General for Polio Eradication at the World Health Organization; Sam Thier, MD, President, Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences; HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand; Carol Bellamy, Executive Director, UNICEF; Anthony Fauci, MD, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; and Alfred Sommer, Dean Emeritus, Bloomberg School of Public Health.
