Tobacco Control Research Group (TCRG) at University of Bath is a multidisciplinary, international academic research group founded in 2007. It examines how companies in the commercial sector influence public health, science, regulation and policy—especially in the tobacco industry—and evaluates the effectiveness of health policies.
TCRG’s key goals are to map environmental, social and economic impacts across global supply chains; to analyse corporate claims about harm reduction including marketing, CSR programmes or newer nicotine/tobacco products; to investigate bribery, corruption, illicit trade in tobacco; and to build capacity internationally in tobacco control.
Structurally, TCRG is based in the Department for Health at University of Bath, and is housed under the Centre for 21st Century Public Health following recent leadership changes. In 2025 it appointed Co-Directors Dr Rob Branston and Dr Allen Gallagher to lead TCRG, with Professor Anna Gilmore now serving as Co-Director of the Centre.
TCRG also runs TobaccoTactics, a knowledge-exchange platform that aggregates rigorous academic research, monitoring data, company behaviour, corporate influence, and industry strategies. It serves researchers, policy makers, journalists and advocates globally.
In terms of sustainable finance relevance, TCRG’s work touches on corporate behaviour, transparency, risk, and supply chain impacts. Its analyses of tobacco industry influence, regulatory risk, and claims of harm reduction are useful for investors, regulators and ESG analysts concerned with non-communicable disease risks, regulatory liability, and societal costs tied to unhealthy products. TCRG is funded through research grants and philanthropic funding (for example Bloomberg Philanthropies) rather than by commercial or industry parties.
TCRG offers outputs including peer-reviewed research publications; case studies; policy-impact assessments; training in industry monitoring and accountability; data via TobaccoTactics; and engagement with policy makers and NGOs (including WHO).
