PANEL 7.4 ENGAGING FOOD AND BEVERAGE COMPANIES THROUGH THE ACCESS TO NUTRITION INDEX
INGE KAUER T
he Access to Nutrition Index (ATNI) pro- vides a comprehensive framework to mon- itor the world’s 25 largest food and beverage manufacturers, using 170 indicators, based on international guidelines, norms, and accepted best practices. By scoring and rating compa- nies publicly, ATNI is intended to highlight where their policies, practices, and disclosure lag behind best practices and thereby encour- age improvement. In addition, the index provides independent, in-depth, compara- tive information for stakeholders interested in monitoring or engaging with the food and beverage industry on nutrition issues. The 2013 Global Index found that all com- panies can do more to improve consumers’ access to healthy, appropriate food and bever- ages in order to contribute to tackling obesity and undernutrition. The score of the leading company was only 6.3 out of 10, demonstrat- ing that there is significant room for improve- ment. Only three companies scored above 5.
ATNI found that companies’ practices often do not measure up to their commitments, par- ticularly in areas such as formulating healthy products, making them more accessible to consumers, and marketing them appropriately. A lack of transparency also makes it difficult for stakeholders, including policymakers, civil society, and investors, to evaluate companies’ nutrition practices. ATNI presented the results to 16 of the 25 companies in the index. Those companies rec- ognized the value of being able to benchmark their practices against others and being given insight into how they can improve. Several have committed to ATNI to make changes, which, if achieved, will be captured in higher scores on the next index. These commit- ments include publishing more information to improve transparency and accountability, setting additional or stronger targets in par- ticular areas, reviewing existing policies, and improving stakeholder engagement. ATNI is
supported by more than 40 investors world- wide who have welcomed the index and are using the results in their engagement with companies. ATNI will continue to evaluate compa- nies’ actions in this area and encourage them to play a more active and appropriate role in tackling malnutrition in all of its forms. ATNI intends to improve the methodology for the 2015 Global Index, ensuring particularly that it aligns its measurement metrics with the pri- orities and goals of other major undernutrition initiatives like Nutrition for Growth, the Scal- ing Up Nutrition Business Network, the UN’s Zero Hunger Challenge, the Every Newborn Action Plan, and Transform Nutrition. By con- tinuing to monitor and report on the progress companies are making in all areas, including undernutrition, ATNI hopes to provide an addi- tional monitoring and accountability mecha- nism for all nutrition stakeholders.
overweight, and obesity (Panel 7.4). Finally, the SUN Movement scores countries’ progress on institutional transformation. Some indexes use primary self-reporting (ATNI, SUN), some use primary data collection by a wide range of stakeholders (Food-EPI, HAN- CI), and some use secondary data (HANCI). These indicators have the potential to raise awareness about commitments and actions to reduce malnutrition, and hence the potential to strengthen accountability. Still, they need to be evaluated to see if they have actually resulted in more effective nutrition-relevant actions.
The data
The two-page nutrition country profiles produced in conjunction with this report (available at
www.globalnutritionreport.org) contain eight indicators from this policy, legislative, and institu- tional domain: six for undernutrition (national implementation of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substi- tutes, maternity protection in the workforce, wheat fortification, whether nutrition is mentioned in national development plans or economic growth strategies, the strength of the right to food in the constitution, and the SUN institutional transformation score) and two for diet-related noncommunicable diseases (availability and stage of policies on hypertension and on diabetes).
52 GLOBAL NUTRITION REPORT 2014
Countries have performed best at implementing the In-
ternational Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and maternity legislation and worst at setting policies on diet-related noncommunicable diseases and mentioning undernutrition in development policy documents (Figure 7.3).
Seventy-seven countries have data for five of the six under- nutrition policy and legislation indicators (the SUN indicators on institutional transformation, which are available for only a smaller set of countries, are considered in the following section). Brazil is the only country with a top score in all five. Interestingly, China and Thailand, both recognized for their strong performance in reducing undernutrition over the past 20 years, are among the six countries that do not have a top score in any of the indicators (the others are Angola, Burundi, Lesotho, and Qatar).
How important are nutrition-related policies, laws, and in- stitutions for achieving real progress on nutrition? Clearly there are many pathways to improved nutrition. Having policies and laws on the books does not mean they will be implemented. It does, however, indicate a government’s public commitment and hence offers an entry point for civil society engagement in issues surrounding nutrition. Panel 7.5 highlights the important role played by the International Code of Marketing of Breast-
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