Social Marketing Company (SMC)

Formed in 1974, Social Marketing Company (SMC) started its journey as the Family Planning Social Marketing Project (FPSMP) funded by USAID to address the rapid population growth in Bangladesh by engaging the private sector health service providers. In 1990, after achieving significant success, the project was converted into a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee which is run by a voluntary Board of Directors.

SMC has successfully applied social marketing principles and practices in providing health and social marketing company services. It has now become the largest and most successful social enterprise and a major contributor to the Bangladesh national family planning program. SMC and its subsidiary organization SMC Enterprise Ltd (SMC EL) market a full range of family planning products, Oral Rehydration Salt (ORS), and other consumer goods. SMC EL operates the biggest ORS manufacturing facility in the country having a market share of around 60%.

SMC has notably contributed to increasing Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (CPR) at the national level sharing 46% pills, 58% condoms, and 25% injectables. According to the preliminary report of the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) 2017, SMC contributed 36% of the modern contraceptive method used nationally.

As per 2018 Contraceptive Social Marketing Statistics released by DKT International, USA, SMC was ranked as the second-largest contraceptive social marketing program globally in terms of CYP (Couple Years of Protection) achievement. Since its inception, SMC operations have averted 19.94 million unintended pregnancies, 2 million deaths of children under-5, and 186 million  Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) till June 2019.