ATNI Report Ranks Food and Beverage Companies

The first edition of a global “Access to Nutrition Index,” evaluates the “nutrition-related commitments, performance and disclosure practices of 25 of the world’s largest food and beverage manufacturers.” Contending that food and beverage companies “must do more to increase access to nutritious products and positively exercise their influence on consumer choice and behavior,” the report ranked Danone and Nestlé among its top performers, but stated that even these companies “have significant room for improvement.”

Housed at the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), the three-year initiative was funded by GAIN, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Wellcome Trust. According to Access to Nutrition Index (ATNI) Executive Director Inge Kauer, the report “is not intended to name and shame companies, but instead to highlight strong practices and to provide a means for companies to benchmark their approach to nutrition against their peers and identify areas for improvement. The Index also aims to serve as an independent source of information for stakeholders interested in engaging with the food and beverage industry on nutrition issues.” The report, which will be issued every two years, focuses on practices that affect both obesity and undernutrition. See ATNI News Release, March 12, 2013.