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 with a view 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 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%. Contribution to the National Economy: As per the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) 2017-18, SMC has notably contributed to increasing Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (CPR) at the national level by sharing 46% of pills, 58% of condoms, and 25% of injectables. It indicates a 36% contribution of the modern contraceptive methods used nationally. Since its inception, SMC operations have achieved 107 million couple-years of protection (CYPs), have averted 22 million unintended pregnancies, 2.2 million deaths of children under-5, and 213 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) as per PSI calculator. According to the 2018 Contraceptive Social Marketing Statistics released by DKT International, USA, SMC was ranked as the second-largest contraceptive social marketing organization globally in terms of numbers of CYPs delivered.