We welcome the Call to Action as a significant milestone in the implementation of the WHO Code and subsequent relevant resolutions. We thank the signatories for the role that they and other civil society organizations have played in advancing infant and maternal nutrition over the past decades, both across the industry and in helping Nestlé improve its own practices.
We share the ambition of the Call to Action (CtA) to go further – as a company and as an industry. We will work towards compliance with the WHO Code and its subsequent relevant resolutions on a voluntary basis, demonstrating industry leadership. Full implementation of the Code will require both the commitment and action of industry, civil society organizations and Member States.
Our response to the Breast milk Substitutes Call to Action reflects our commitment to improving the health of mothers and children across the world:
- No promotion of infant formula for babies under six months, as minimum, anywhere
Nestlé has unilaterally committed to stop the promotion of infant formula for babies aged 0-6 months in ALL countries. This significant step extends the provisions of our Nestlé Policy for Implementing the WHO Code (pdf, 5Mb) to the few countries where it has not applied to date and is particularly relevant to the USA, Canada and Japan, where no regulations currently exist.
- Engaging stakeholders to encourage implementation of WHO Code
We will actively engage with stakeholders to encourage implementation of the WHO Code. The most effective way to secure Code compliance is through well-drafted and well-implemented legislation.
To complement this, we will actively engage with stakeholders to find ways that respect antitrust laws, to advance industry commitments on the promotion of infant formula for babies aged 0-12 months.
We have also reconfirmed our support to the Access to Nutrition Initiative (ATNI) as a platform to stimulate progressive change, and will keep participating to the different indices hosted under this initiative.
The Nestlé full response and commitment is accessible on CtA website (pdf, 150Kb).
How does Nestlé support breastfeeding?
We strongly believe that nutrition plays a vital role in improving lives and that breastfeeding provides the best nutritional start for babies. This is why we support and promote breastfeeding during the first six months of life, with the gradual introduction of appropriate complementary food as advised by healthcare professionals. We take this very seriously, and to that end, we have a strict global policy of not promoting infant formula for babies under six months, as a minimum, anywhere.
However, we understand that breastfeeding is not always possible and inappropriate alternatives to breastmilk are widespread. Furthermore, during the transition to solid foods, many infants do not receive sufficient nutrients for their healthy growth and development. In these cases, we are here to offer our support.
Our infant and young children nutrition solutions are grounded in science and designed to meet their specific nutritional needs and help combat malnutrition. We market our products with great care, ensuring transparency and compliance with all relevant regulations.
We also develop educational materials for health care professionals and parents on the benefits of breastfeeding. We also run campaigns and seminars on breastfeeding for the medical community in partnership with governments and medical institutions.
Supporting breastfeeding also involves providing adequate support to parents, to establish a conducive environment for mothers to breastfeed. We take pride in how we acknowledge the dual role of parent and employee through benefits and services, such as our global Parental Support Policy, which is gender-neutral and offers 18 weeks of fully paid parental leave for primary caregivers and a minimum of four weeks for secondary caregivers. We also provide rooms for employees to express breast milk in all Nestlé facilities with more than 50 employees.
