Research Operating Principles

As a nonprofit organization, the Sugar Association is committed to supporting research that is consistent with our mission to address knowledge gaps and transparently support independent, peer-reviewed science to increase consumer understanding of and confidence in the role that sugar plays in a nutritious, balanced and enjoyable diet. When sponsoring research, we aim to adhere to the guiding principles as laid out in the widely accepted publication “Achieving a transparent, actionable framework for public-private partnerships for food and nutrition research”¹ and as adopted by our Board of Directors.

The Sugar Association is aware that academic institutions have financial obligations for administering the research grants that are awarded to their faculty members. The Sugar Association’s policy allows for indirect costs of up to 10% of total direct costs for the management of the research project by the sponsoring institution. Indirect costs should be included in the total pre-proposal budget. However, the Sugar Association does not permit indirect costs for equipment, including computers.
Research Publications