Join us at the University of Bath to gain a funded PhD examining Polluter Pays to Address the Commercial Determinants of Health (CDoH). This project will commence in January 2026 under the supervision of Dr Rob Branston, Prof Anna Gilmore and Dr Andrea Serna Castano.
While businesses contribute to economic growth and innovation, they also generate significant health and environmental harms—such as pollution, producing unhealthy products, and increasing social inequities—which local authorities are left to manage, often with shrinking budgets.
The successful PhD candidate will investigate how businesses that impose greater health and environmental costs could be taxed more, while those that promote wellbeing could be incentivised. Ultimately the research will help local governments align fiscal policy with public health and sustainability goals while generating revenue more equitably.
While the initial focus is on local government, the research may also consider broader applications, including national or global mechanisms, such as levies on the tobacco industry.
The successful candidate would join the Local Health Global Profits (LHGP) research consortium, part of the University of Bath's Centre for 21st Century Public Health (C21PH).
The LHGP research consortium brings together researchers with local governments, public health practitioners, civil society organisations and local populations to understand the factors that impact on population health and the effective, scalable interventions to tackle them.
Applicants for this PhD should hold, or expect to receive, a First Class or high Upper Second Class UK Honours degree (or the equivalent) in health, science or social sciences, or other relevant subjects. Non-UK applicants must meet the programme’s English language requirement by the application deadline.
Informal enquiries are encouraged and should be directed to lhgp@bath.ac.uk.