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BMS/CF Marketing Index 2021
Major baby food companies’ compliance with the International
Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes
June 2021
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Disclaimers ATNI is an independent organization that bases its work on the input of many stakeholders. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this report may not necessarily reflect the views of all companies, members of the stakeholder groups or the organizations they represent, or of the funders of the project. This report is intended to be for informational purposes only and is not intended as promotional material in any respect. This report is not intended to provide accounting, legal or tax advice or investment recommendations. Whilst based on information believed to be reliable, no guarantee can be given that it is accurate or complete. The findings of this Index regarding companies’ performance rely to a large extent on information shared by companies, in addition to information that is available in the public domain. Several factors beyond the companies’ control may impact the availability of information such as differences in disclosure requirements among countries or capacity constraints within companies due to, among other factors, the Covid-19 pandemic. Therefore, in the case of limited or no engagement by such companies, this Index may not represent the full extent of their efforts. Westat and the Nutrition Center of the Philippines (NCP), its local subcontractor, were responsible for the collection of data related to company compliance with the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes, all subsequent, relevant WHA resolutions, and any additional country-specific regulations related to marketing of these products in the Philippines. Similarly, Westat and Universidad Iberoamericana (IBERO) in collaboration with the Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública (INSP), IBERO/INSP being Westat’s local subcontractor, were responsible for the same scope of data collection in Mexico. In the Philippines, Westat and NCP engaged with health facilities, mothers of infants who attended those facilities, health professionals at the facilities, and retailers as part of the data collection and analysis process. In Mexico, Westat and IBERO/INSP engaged with retailers as part of the data collection and analysis process. Westat is responsible for the analysis of the data related to compliance with ATNI’s methodology on which the Access to Nutrition Foundation (ATNF) will (in part) base the scoring of baby food companies in the ATNI BMS/CF Marketing Index 2021, which will in turn inform the companies’ scores in the ATNI Global Index 2021. The user of the report and the information in it assumes the entire risk of any use it may make or permit to be made of the information. NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED template WARRANTIES page OR REPRESENTATIONS ARE MADE WITH RESPECT TO THE INFORMATION (OR THE RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY THE USE THEREOF), AND TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF ORIGINALITY, ACCURACY, TIMELINESS, NON-INFRINGEMENT, COMPLETENESS, MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE) WITH RESPECT TO ANY OF THE INFORMATION ARE EXPRESSLY EXCLUDED AND DISCLAIMED. Euromonitor International statistics are used under license. While every attempt has been made to ensure accuracy and reliability, Euromonitor International cannot be held responsible for omissions or errors of historic figures or analyses. Without limiting any of the foregoing and to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, in no event shall ATNF, Westat, nor any of their respective affiliates or contractors, have any liability regarding any of the information for any direct, indirect, special, punitive, consequential (including lost profits) or any other damages even if notified of the possibility of such damages. The foregoing shall not exclude or limit any liability that may not by applicable law be excluded or limited. This report sets out the findings of a study undertaken by several organizations. We would like to thank the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DGIS) and UK Aid - through the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) - for their financial support. We would also like to thank our research partners Westat, NCP and IBERO/INSP for their diligent efforts, as well as organic Intelligence and Eficiencia Informativa (EFINFO), the firms that provided the traditional media monitoring service in the Philippines and Mexico, respectively. We are grateful for the guidance of the BMS Expert Group. WRENmedia edited the report. Design is by Kummer & Herrman. © Copyright 2021
Abbreviations ATNI Access to Nutrition Initiative BMS Breast-milk substitutes CF Complementary Foods FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FCDO Foreign and Commonwealth Department Office DGIS Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs IBERO Universidad Iberoamericana IBFAN International Baby Food Action Network IF Infant formula INC Incidences of non-compliance INSP Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública FSMP Formula for Special Medical Purposes FOF Follow-on formula GUM Growing-up milk(s) HA Hypo-allergenic MJN Mead Johnson Nutrition NCP Nutrition Center of the Philippines NGO Non-governmental Organization RLF Responsible Lobbying Framework PKU Phenylketonuria SDG Sustainable Development Goal The Code International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes UNICEF United Nations Children's Fund WHA World Health Assembly WHO World Health Organization
Contents Disclaimers 2 Welcome 7 1. Executive Summary 9 About the Index 9 The importance of nutrition in early life 9 Methodology 9 BMS/CF Marketing Index 2021 Ranking 10 Key finding 11 Results by company 11 Future Indexes 15 2. Introduction 16 3. Context 18 3.1 The importance of optimal infant and young child nutrition 18 3.2 The imperative of increasing levels of breastfeeding worldwide and improving infant and young children’s diets 18 3.3 International recommendations on breastfeeding and complementary feeding 19 3.4 Why is use of BMS and CF increasing? 21 4. Approach to company assessment 22 4.1 Companies selected 22 4.2 ATNI’s methodology 24 5. BMS/CF Marketing Index Ranking 2021 26 5.1 Analysis 27 5.2 Key findings and recommendations 29 6. Detailed results: BMS/CF 1 Corporate Profile 33 6.1 How do the companies perform overall on BMS/CF 1 Corporate profile? 35 6.2 How have companies’ Corporate Profile scores changed since 2018? 37 6.3 How well aligned to The Code are the companies’ policies and management systems? 38 6.4 How do the companies perform in relation to responsible lobbying? 40
6.5 How extensive is companies’ disclosure? 43 6.6 Cross-cutting issues identified by the 2021 assessment 44 Issue 1: The wording of companies’ marketing policies does not fully align to The Code 44 Issue 2: The scope of companies’ policies is limited, and subject to exclusions by product type and geography 45 Issue 3: Exclusion of FSMPs from companies’ policies 46 Issue 4: Weaknesses in application of Article 8 of The Code 48 Issue 5: Companies that make complementary foods have not yet made policy commitments to implement the WHO guidance associated with WHA Resolution 69.9 49 6.7 Conclusions relating to BMS/CF 1 Corporate Profile 51 6.8 Recommendations relating to BMS/CF 1 Corporate Profile 51 7. BMS/CF 2 In-country marketing assessments 53 7.1 Introduction 53 7.2 Country selection 53 7.3 Company presence 54 7.4 Scope of in-country assessments 54 7.5 Scoring 55 7.6 BMS/CF 2 Combined results from the Philippines and Mexico 56 7.7 Detailed results 57 7.8 What was the overall level of Code compliance in the two countries? 59 7.9 What level of compliance did each company achieve? 60 7.10 Observations related to the in-country studies 62 7.11 Conclusion 65 7.12 Recommendations 65 8. Future Indexes 67 Annexes 68 Annex 1: Definitions of BMS and CF used by ATNI, based on The Code, WHO and Codex definitions 68 Annex 2. How comprehensive are companies’ overarching commitments to The Code and to support breastfeeding? 69 Annex 3: Comparison of companies’ scores on policy and management systems in 2016, 2018 and 2021 70
Annex 4: How companies’ initial scores are weighted to generate final scores on the BMS/CF 1 Corporate Profile 72 Final weighted BMS/CF 1 Corporate Profile scores 74 Annex 5: Estimating the effect of the inclusion of WHA Resolution 69.9 on companies’ scores 75 Endnotes 77
Welcome
It is my pleasure to introduce this BMS/CF Marketing Index 2021. This Index is both new and not new!
ATNI previously rated the world’s six largest baby food companies’ marketing practices through a sub-
ranking of each Global Index. The last one was published in 2018. Now, for the first time, we are
presenting this research in the form of a stand-alone Index. It expands on our previous research in two
ways. It encompasses the nine largest baby food companies in the world and it assesses their marketing
of both breast-milk substitutes (BMS) and complementary foods (CF). I would like to thank the funders of
this work for their continuing support: the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the governments of the
United Kingdom through the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) and the
Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DGIS).
The Access to Nutrition Initiative (ATNI) is an independent not-for profit organization, established in 2013.
We work to encourage the world’s largest food and beverage companies to do everything they can to
address all forms of malnutrition. We design and publish various tools designed to encourage ‘healthy
competition’ among these companies by tapping into their competitive nature. In the eight years since
ATNI was established, we have proven that our model of benchmarking companies is a driver of and
accelerates meaningful change.
Our Indexes measure food and beverage companies’ contribution to addressing nutrition challenges.
Among these are the deaths of over 832,000 babies each year who could have lived had they been
optimally breastfed. Millions of children suffer wasting, stunting and micronutrient deficiencies due to
inadequate diets. Increasing numbers are becoming overweight or obese for the same reason. Given the
increasing roles of processed products – including BMS and CF - in diets around the world, one of ATNI’s
principal goals is to drive greater action by the private sector to turn this tide, to give all children the best
start in life. Breastfeeding should be central to the diets of infants and young children, from birth up to
two years or beyond, according to the WHO. Extensive independent academic research has established
that breastmilk is better for children’s health than breast-milk substitutes and that breastfeeding is also
beneficial to mothers’ health.
The nine companies rated in this report generated estimated revenues from BMS and CF of nearly
US$38 billion in 2019, over half of that year’s global total. One of the ways they secured these sales was
through extensive and effective marketing. With the advent of social media, baby food companies have
even greater reach than ever before. The central issue is that their products compete with breastfeeding.
Even in 1981, when the sector was much smaller and marketing channels were more limited, this problem
had been identified. Following extensive consultation with a wide range of stakeholders, WHO determined
to address it. And so, the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes was born. It did not
aim to prevent the use of these products - sometimes they are necessary because some infants cannot
be breastfed and some mothers cannot breastfeed. Rather, its aim was to contribute to the provision of
safe and adequate nutrition for infants, by protecting and promoting breastfeeding. Specifically, the
intention was to ensure that mothers and caregivers had accurate and adequate information about BMS
and how to use them safely and properly, and that these products were marketed and distributed
appropriately.
That aim is as relevant and urgent today as it was 40 years ago. The hope was that the WHO’s Member
States would pass laws and regulations to implement the 1981 Code. That hope has not been realized:
only 31 countries have legal frameworks that substantially implement the Code and the 18 subsequent
resolutions that support and augment it passed by the World Health Assembly since then. In the absence
of market-by-market legal measures, it is imperative that baby food companies take voluntary action to
implement The Code - which they are called upon to do, in Article 11. This Index assesses the extent to
which they have adopted policies and practices to do so, and how transparent they are about this. It also
looks at their related lobbying policies and practices.
7
One of ATNI’s goals is to work closely with - and inspire action by - other stakeholders. In this vein, for the
first time, FTSE Russell, one of the world’s leading financial services companies, has drawn on this
research to inform its decisions about the suitability of three of the companies to retain their place on the
prestigious FTSE4Good Index. We look forward to further collaboration with FTSE Russell – and with
others.
While ATNI hopes that all governments will step up their efforts to adopt legal measures to give effect to
The Code, in the short term the most important action I hope will ensue from the publication of this report
is that all baby food companies accelerate their efforts to implement The Code in full. They can play a
pivotal role in supporting the realization of the 2025 global nutrition targets, the SDGs by 2030, and in
saving the lives and protecting the health of babies, young children, and mothers everywhere.
Inge Kauer
Executive Director
Access to Nutrition Foundation
8
1. Executive Summary
About the Index The importance of nutrition
This Index assesses the extent to which the
in early life
world’s nine largest manufacturers of breast-
The critical importance of good nutrition and
milk substitutes (BMS) and complementary
healthy diets has been underlined by the
foods (CF) market their products in line with
COVID-19 pandemic. Baby food companies can
WHO guidance, as set out in the 1981
play a critical role in improving the health and life
International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk
prospects of infants and young children by
Substitutes (BMS) and 18 subsequent relevant
protecting and supporting breastfeeding. By
World Health Assembly (WHA) resolutions
following the recommendations of The Code,
(collectively referred to as The Code). For the
they can contribute to the realisation of several
studies ATNI commissioned to assess the
WHO 2025 nutrition targets and the Sustainable
companies’ marketing in the Philippines and
Development Goals. Specifically, to SDG 2 - by
Mexico, the scope extends to any national legal
preventing child mortality and various forms of
measures that go beyond The Code.
undernutrition - and SDG 3 - by decreasing
children’s risks of developing NCDs later in life.
This Index is the only one of its kind. A score of
100% would indicate that a company’s
Until such time as all countries have passed laws
marketing policies, practices and disclosure are
and regulations to give effect to The Code, baby
fully aligned with these WHO recommendations.
food companies can contribute to health and
nutrition by voluntarily marketing their products
Similar prior assessments were presented as a
in line with WHO recommendations. To date,
sub-ranking of ATNI’s 2016 and 2018 Global
only 31 countries have a Code-aligned legal
Indexes. Now, to place greater emphasis on, and
framework to control the marketing of BMS and
direct greater attention to the critical importance
CF. While many factors have contributed in
of the health and nutrition of infants and young
recent years to falling breastfeeding rates in
children, ATNI is publishing a stand-alone Index.
many countries, and the concomitant increasing
use of BMS, a principal driver has been the
The companies included are the nine largest by
increasing and widespread marketing of these
global revenues in the baby food segment.
products. Breastfeeding has long been proven to
Together they generated an estimated US$38
provide myriad significant health benefits
billion in sales in 2019, just over half of the
compared to BMS. These benefits are unique to
global total for that year. The scores of the six
breastfeeding and help both mother and infant.
companies within this Index that are also
Positive long-term benefits for infants include
constituents of the Global Access to Nutrition
protection against becoming overweight or
Index 2021will continue to be based, in part, on
obese, as well as against certain non-
their scores in this Index.
communicable diseases such as diabetes
mellitus. Further, in areas of the world where
One of the most significant changes in the
hygiene is poor and the availability of, and
scope of this assessment was the inclusion for
access to, food is sub-optimal, breastfeeding is
the first time of the seventh, eighth and ninth
key to lowering infants’ risk of undernutrition and
largest players in the sector, which are all
infectious diseases.
headquartered in China. These companies are
China Feihe Limited (Feihe), China Mengniu
Dairy Company Limited (Mengniu), Inner Methodology
Mongolia Yili Industrial Group (Yili), with
combined estimated sales in 2019 of around The full methodology is available here. In short,
US$4.5 billion. the Index scores and ranks companies based on
two types of assessment that are given equal
weight. The first – BMS/CF 1 - determines the
extent to which the companies’ own policies –
9
adopted voluntarily – and their associated of national legal measures with The Code, and
management systems and disclosure align fully others, influences how companies perform on
to the recommendations of The Code. One the second element of the assessment. For the
section also assesses the stance companies first time, ATNI provided data from this element
take on lobbying governments in relation to of the research to FTSE Russell to use in its
adoption of legal measures to implement The decisions about the suitability of Danone, Nestlé
Code. The companies’ scores are based both on and Reckitt to continue to be constituents of its
information in the public domain and – if they FTSE4Good Index Series.
wish – unpublished internal documentation
which they submit under a non-disclosure One principal change to the previous
agreement to ATNI’s online research platform. methodology is the inclusion of an assessment,
for the first time, of companies’ marketing in
The second – BMS/CF 2 - aims to assess the accordance with 2016 WHO ‘Guidance on
extent to which companies market their ending the inappropriate promotion of foods for
products in line with The Code within two low or infants and young children’, referenced in WHA
middle-income countries (called higher-risk Resolution 69.9 adopted at the 69th World
countries). As for previous assessments, ATNI Health Assembly. Another notable change is the
selected two countries in which to undertake inclusion of the next three largest companies in
research for this Index: the Philippines and the baby food segment, which are all based in
Mexico. ATNI’s summary reports, and those of China. ATNI was unable to establish contact with
Westat, the company which ATNI commissioned these companies and therefore they did not
to undertake them, are available here. engage in the research process. Their
assessments therefore had to be based only on
Numerous factors relating to the companies’ information in the public domain, as has been
own policies and practices, their market share, the case for other companies in the past.
length of time in the market and the alignment
BMS/CF Marketing Index 2021 Ranking
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1212
12C o m p a n y s c or e s a n d r a n ki n g s , 2 0 2 1 , a n d G l o b a l I n de x 2 0 2 1 a dj u s t me n t , w h e r e r e l e v a n t
C o m p a n y s c or e s a n d r a n ki n g s , 2 0 2 1 , a n d G l o b a l I n de x 2 0 2 1 a dj u s t me n t , w h e r e r e l e v a n t
Ten key findings and recommendations
Ten key findings and recommendations
1 . T w o c o m p a ni e s h a v e ma d e s i g ni f i c a n t • Danone demonstrated complete compliance
i1m. pTrwoovecm oemnptasni n i esthheairveBM mS adm e asrikgentiifnicgapnot lic i es , • in the Philippines.
Danone demonstrated It alsocomplete
achievedcompliance
a high
m
i mapnraogveem meennttssiyns ttehm eisr BanMdS/ omr adriksectl oi nsgurpeo– licai ess , relative level of compliance in Mexico.
in the Philippines. It also achieved a high
im l l uasntargateemdein nttshyesi rteBmMsSa/nCdF/ o1r C o r p o r a t e
di s c l os u r e – a s • Nestlé
relativewaslevelfound to have a in
of compliance high relative level
Mexico.
P
i l lruosftirl eatsecdoirnesth. ei r BMS/ CF 1 Corporate of compliance in both Mexico
• Nestlé was found to have a high relative and the level
P r o f i l e s c o r es . Philippines during the study
of compliance in both Mexico and the period. It is the
• Reckitt revised and published a market leader by sales value in both
Philippines during the study period. It is the
• comprehensive
Reckitt revised and BMSpublished
marketing a policy countries.
market leader by sales value in both
following the acquisition
comprehensive BMS marketing policy of Mead Johnson • KraftHeinz
countries. also achieved a high level of
Nutrition in 2017. The
following the acquisition of Mead Johnson policy however • compliance
KraftHeinz also in Mexico
achieved in relation to itsof
a high level CF
applies
Nutritiononly to infant
in 2017. Theformula and follow-
policy however products.
compliance in Mexico in relation to its CF
on
applies formula only(and excludes
to infant formula most and of follow-
its products.
formulas
on formula for(andspecial medical
excludes most purposes,
of its ATNI commends these results but encourages
FSMPs).
formulas for special medical purposes, the
ATNI companies
commends to these
take action
resultstobut
eliminate
encouragesall
• For FSMPs). the first time, KraftHeinz shared its incidences of non-compliance as
the companies to take action to eliminate all soon as
BMS
• For the Marketing
first time,CharterKraftHeinz with shared
ATNI though its possible.
incidences of non-compliance as soon as
itBMShas Marketing
substantialCharter gaps compared
with ATNItothough The possible.
Code
it has and does not
substantial gapscover CF, which
compared make
to The 3. None of the six companies that have a
up most of its sales.
Code and does not cover CF, which make BMS
3. None marketing
of the six policy fully incorporate
companies that have the a
up most of its sales. wording of all articles of The
BMS marketing policy fully incorporate the Code, i.e., the
ATNI welcomes these improvements. 1981
wording Code andarticles
of all all subsequent
of The Code, relevant WHA
i.e., the
ATNI welcomes these improvements. resolutions and related guidance
1981 Code and all subsequent relevant WHA and
2 . T h r e e c o m p a ni e s ac h i ev e d h i g h o r standards,
resolutionsup and torelated
and including
guidance WHAand69.9.
c2o. m Thprleeeteccoommppalni ai ensc eacwhiitehvT eh
dehC i gohdoer, and standards, up to and including WHA 69.9.
n
c ompl ete c ompli anc e wi th The CoonddeT, haendCode,
a t i o n a l r e g u l a t i o n s t h a t g o b e y This is illustrated in their initial BMS/CF 1 scores
innatth i oenatw l roesgtuuldaitei osncsotnhdaut cgtoedbei nyoMnedxTichoeaCnodde, falling
This is well short of
illustrated in 100%.
their initial BMS/CF 1 scores
ti nhethPehtiw li popsi ntueds i edsurci nognd2u0c2te0d. Ti nhiMs eisx iicl l u
osatrnadted falling well short of 100%.
b y t h e i r B M S / C F 2 s c o r e s .
t h e P h i l i p p i n es d u ri n g 2 0 2 0 . T h i s i s i l l us t r a t e d • All six companies are urged to update
b y t h e i r B MS / C F 2 s c or e s . • their
All sixexisting
companies policies
are to aligntotheir
urged update
wording fully to The Code.
their existing policies to align their
wording fully to The Code.
13
13• All companies must revise their policies
4. The three companies newly added to to incorporate commitments to
this Index – Feihe, Mengniu and Yili – have implement in full the recommendations
not yet published a BMS marketing policy. in the guidance associated with WHA
Resolution 69.9 in relation to CF for
• ATNI strongly encourages these children 6-36 months of age.
companies to publish BMS marketing
policies in which they commit both to 7. The geographic application of
uphold national regulation in China (and companies’ policies is not universal and
any other countries in which they therefore not fully aligned to The Code.
currently do business or may do The Code is intended to be applied
business in future) and to implement The consistently in all markets. The Code does not
Code in full in all markets. make a distinction between ‘higher-risk’ and
‘lower-risk’ countries. This distinction was
5. No company’s BMS marketing policy introduced by FTSE Russell’s FTSE4Good
covers all types of formula marketed as Index Series in 2010.
suitable for infants from birth to 36 months
of age. This is the most significant, common • All companies are urged to restate the
weakness in the companies’ policies. While geographic scope of their policies to be
more include infant formulas and follow-on global, in respect of all product types and
formulas within their scope, none extend to all provisions of The Code.
growing-up milks. Further, many companies
state that some or all of their FSMP products 8. Companies’ approaches vary with
(formulas for special medical purposes) are regards to upholding their own policies in
excluded from their policies and/or they relation to local legal measures that
follow national regulatory definitions of these implement The Code. While all companies
products. Although not yet factored into commit to uphold national laws, regulations
ATNI’s methodology nor the companies’ and standards, and most pledge to uphold
scores, of particular concern is the exclusion their policies in full where such legal
from the scope of company policies some or measures are absent or less extensive than
all of their FSMPs. These products are BMS their own policies, not all companies do so.
and have always been included in the
definition of BMS products in the scope of • ATNI calls on all companies that do not
The Code and should be included within the yet do so to commit not only to comply
scope of companies’ BMS marketing policies. with local laws and regulations, but to go
further and uphold their policies in full -
• All companies must extend the scope of adhering to the scope they establish for
their policies to include all types of their policies in terms of products and
formulas, including growing-up milks and types of marketing, and to do so in all
all FSMPs, to fully align them to The countries where legal measures are
Code. weaker than The Code, or where they
are absent altogether.
6. None of the companies has a policy on
marketing CF for young children aged 6- 9. Gaps between the companies’ policies
36 months that aligns to the and The Code were made clear by the in-
recommendations the guidance associated country assessments in the Philippines and
with WHA Resolution 69.9. Despite this Mexico. The critical importance of both
resolution and the associated guidance being strong national laws and regulations and of
adopted by the WHA five years ago, in May companies adopting global policies that align
2016, which inter alia made new and specific fully to The Code was made clear by the
recommendations about marketing CF, none results of the studies in the Philippines and
of the companies that make these foods have Mexico. While neither country’s laws nor
published a separate policy or amended their regulations fully implement The Code, those
existing policy provisions to implement the of the Philippines are much more closely
recommendations in full. aligned to it than those in Mexico. As a result,
ATNI found far fewer incidences of non-
compliance with The Code and the one
June 2021 14aspect of local regulations relating to labelling voluntary commitments due to the
in the Philippines (152) than in Mexico (325). considerable impact such steps would
have on their revenues and profits.
Moreover, the compliance of the companies • ATNI calls on all companies to
included in this Index was better in relation to implement the Responsible Lobbying
product types covered by their policies Framework in full and to put in place
(typically infant formulas and follow-on rigorous systems to ensure that their
formulas) and worse in relation growing-up interactions with policymakers and
milks and CF (though these products are also governments in all markets are governed
less well covered by the national legal by their public commitments. Much
measures). This illustrates that when greater transparency about their
companies adopt policies aligned to The lobbying positions and activity must also
Code and put in place effective management be provided. Investors are urged to use
systems to implement those policies, less their influence with companies to
inappropriate marketing occurs. encourage them to take these steps.
• ATNI calls on all countries that have not
yet done so to emulate the 31 countries Future Indexes
that have to date adopted laws and
regulations substantially or fully aligned ATNI hopes that this Index will aid the work of all
with The Code. By doing so they will organizations and individuals committed to
create a level-playing field for ALL improving the health of infants and young
companies. children, particularly through increasing
breastfeeding everywhere. ATNI encourages all
• However, given that it is likely to take stakeholders to use the Index and to provide
many years for countries to pass such feedback about how they have used it and how it
measures, in the meantime it is could be improved in future.
imperative that companies adopt
marketing policies that fully align to the From the autumn of 2021, ATNI will hold a series
Code, in all dimensions, as already noted of consultations with a wide range of stakeholders
to collate this input and inform the evolution of the
10. Some companies’ have reasonably good methodology for the next Index.
commitments relating to lobbying in relation to
legal measures and standards to implement The next BMS/CF Marketing Index – planned for
The Code. Now is the time to strengthen 2023 - will be expanded to the world’s 20 largest
them. It is vital that all countries adopt national baby food manufacturers.
laws, regulations and standards that fully align to
The Code. ATNI assessed the extent to which
companies pledge to support such efforts by
assessing the relevant commitments,
management systems and disclosure, using a
small number of indicators. However, a related
report published in June 2021 entitled Spotlight
on Lobbying - provides a more comprehensive
picture.
• Companies that make BMS and CF must
make clear and unequivocal
commitments to support – and not to
undermine – the efforts of governments
and international bodies to adopt Code-
aligned legal frameworks. This will both
provide the necessary protections to
breastfeeding while also creating a level-
playing field on which all companies can
compete fairly. Without such measures,
most companies are reluctant to make
June 2021 15You can also read
