Sometimes the best partners come from the other side of the aisle. You may not agree on everything, but your differences allow for unique and fruitful collaboration. That’s exactly the point of Ambassador Lisa Gable’s new op-ed, "Is bipartisanship dead? Not by a long shot.”

“The efforts I have worked on employ the principles of bipartisanship common in so many areas beyond politics -- in the office, at the doctor’s office, at the playground, at church and at home. We focus on personal consideration, listening and respect. We know that if we want succeed, we can’t expect others to approach the problem in the identical way, so it becomes imperative to do things differently. Turn the idea on its head. Think of new paths and be bold.” 

We agree – when we work together, we can go further and accomplish so much more. Amb. Gable uses a commitment made among food and beverage companies and the Obama Administration as an illustrating point. “In 2009, 16 CEOs from consumer goods companies joined me as members of the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation. Working collaboratively with public health agencies and the Obama administration, the conservatives and liberals among us joined forces to implement the largest voluntary food and beverage industry marketplace initiative, ultimately removing 6.4 trillion calories from the American diet by reducing the sugar and fat content of hundreds of products.”

With our newest, most ambitious initiative, Balance Calories, we are always looking for new partners. They bring fresh ideas, perspectives and valued opinions of the communities they are a part of. This is especially important as we try to create real change by encouraging Americans to cut the sugar and calories they consume from beverages.

Find out more about Balance Calories and our partners at BalanceUS.org and check out Amb. Gable’s full op-ed here.