Top companies reflect mixed progress on commitment to global nutrition, ranking shows

23 May 2018 --- Nestlé has nabbed the highest ranking spot in the 2018 Access to Nutrition Index (ATNI), reflecting its overall performance in nutrition-related commitments. Meanwhile, FrieslandCampina has improved the most since 2016, climbing four places in the ranking largely thanks to a new strategy to tackle under-nutrition and more responsible marketing commitments. However, the ATNI state that many companies are still doing too little in the realm of nutrition. The ATNI is the third Global Index that ranks the world’s 22 largest food and beverage companies on their contributions to addressing the twin global nutrition challenges of overweight and diet-related diseases and under-nutrition. 

The index measures food and beverage companies contributions to good nutrition across seven categories: governance, products, accessibility, marketing, lifestyles, labeling and engagement. 

The top spot position affirms Nestlé’s steps forwards regarding nutrition, health and wellness as well as their contribution to tackling the global challenges of obesity and undernutrition.

Nestlé is also ranked second for its marketing of breast milk substitutes in ATNI's separate index on the topic. This indicates Nestlé’s commitment to policies, practices and compliance with the World Health Organization’s International Code of Marketing of breast milk substitutes. However, ATNI state that this year's index clearly demonstrated that there is still a widespread lack of compliance with the International Code of Marketing of breast milk substitutes.

“We are very pleased with Nestlé’s evaluation by ATNI. We are firmly committed to contributing to tackling the pressing global challenges of obesity and undernutrition, in particular childrens nutrition and health,” said Patrice Bula, Executive Vice President, Nestlé S.A. 

ATNI particularly highlighted Nestlé’s “global board-approved nutrition strategy, including a comprehensive set of nutrition-related targets that are directly linked to the Sustainable Development Goals.”

Furthermore, counted among Nestlé’s nutrition accolades is the recent widening of its Nestlé for Healthier Kids initiative. The company announced that the program was expanding with the further development of healthier products and advice for families on nutrition and exercise. The program aims to help 50 million children lead healthier lives by 2030.

Additionally, by 2020 Nestlé aims to: 

• Further reduce sugars by five percent. Since 2000, the company has reduced sugars by over 34 percent.
• Further reduce salt by 10 percent. Since 2005, the company has reduced salt by over 20 percent.
• Complete the commitment taken in 2014, to reduce saturated fats by 10 percent in all relevant products that do not meet WHO recommendations.

Arla, who are ranked at number 11 out of 22 in the index are proud of their performance, Hanne Søndergaard, Executive Vice President & CMO of Arla, Marketing & Innovation, tells NutritionInsight.

“Arla has taken many initiatives to integrate nutrition into its business models, to produce healthier products with, for example, lower levels of sugar, salt and saturated fat and higher levels of fiber and natural ingredients, and to ensure affordable pricing and distribution of healthier products in emerging markets, and we will continue with this as we contribute to tackling the global nutrition challenge,” says Søndergaard.

“Arla has strengthened its performance and we are rewarded for having the third most healthy portfolio of the Top 22 global F&B companies, which we can be proud of. Working with ATNI is important for Arla as we continue to play an important part in tackling the global nutrition challenge,” she adds.

Access to Nutrition Index calls for more to done by leading companies
Despite positive findings in this year's index that many leading food and beverage manufacturers have stepped up efforts to encourage better diets, largely by adopting better policies and publishing more information, more must still be done. For example, the ATNI state that companies must ensure that poorer demographics have access to affordable, healthy diets through the fortification of products.

The ATNI assert that the 22 food and beverage companies included in the 2018 Index generate an estimated US$500 billion in annual sales in over 200 countries and that their products play a significant and increasing role in the diets of millions of people. The Indexes are designed to measure whether manufacturers are being responsible in the way they make, sell and market their products to address the global nutrition crisis, which sees one-in-three people either overweight or undernourished and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals.

Paulus Verschuren, Acting Chair of the Access to Nutrition Foundation says: “It is alarming that less than a third of the products surveyed by the Access to Nutrition Foundation were classified as healthy. The difference between our analysis and companies’ own assessments shows the need for more transparency on how companies measure healthiness and set targets to improve it. Companies could and should do more to develop and market healthier products. We urge them to take action.” 

The ATNI have set out seven recommendations for companies:

• More responsibility to be taken on by senior executives and boards.
• Set measurable nutrition targets.
• Widen affordable healthy product ranges.
• Develop commercial strategies for tackling under-nutrition.
• Commit to displaying easy-to-interpret label information.
• Reduce marketing of unhealthy products to children.
• Follow WHO codes for marketing of breast milk substitutes.

ATNI was developed as an independent benchmarking tool for use by investors, health advocates and companies, and is collated using information in the public domain and supplied by companies themselves. 

By Laxmi Haigh