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Breast-milk substitute marketing compliance

mother with baby

 

We invest heavily in ensuring our breast-milk substitutes marketing complies with the Nestlé Policy for Implementation of the World Health Organization's International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes (pdf, 5Mb) known as the WHO Code.

In 2021, we pledged to stop the promotion of infant formula in all countries for babies aged 0-6 months, extending our existing policy to the United States, Canada and Japan, where no regulations exist.

We are fully committed to transparency and we regularly and publicly report on compliance efforts. These reports are available below.

Find out more about our commitment to supporting breastfeeding and to protecting it by continuing to implement an industry-leading policy to market breast-milk substitutes responsibly.

Our compliance record

Every year, we publish an external report summarizing the results of our annual compliance record and actions taken to remedy any noncompliances found.

These reports cover compliance with the Nestlé Policy and include instructions for implementation of the WHO Code and relevant national regulations.

External reports on WHO Code compliance

2022 Leading the way: Responsible Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes 2022 Report (pdf, 14Mb)
2021 Leading the way: Responsible Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes 2021 Report (pdf, 5Mb)
2020 Leading the way: Responsible Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes 2020 Report (pdf, 4Mb)
2019 Leading the way: Responsible Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes 2019 Report (pdf, 19Mb)
2018 Leading the way: Responsible Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes 2018 Report (pdf, 900Kb)
2017 External Report on Nestlé’s compliance with WHO Code related topics (pdf, 2Mb)
2016 External Report on Nestlé’s compliance with WHO Code related topics (pdf, 2Mb)
2015 External Report on Nestlé’s compliance with WHO Code related topics (pdf, 1Mb)
2014 External Report on Nestlé’s compliance with WHO Code related topics (pdf, 450Kb)
2013 External Report on Nestlé’s compliance with WHO Code related topics (pdf, 400Kb)
2012 External Report on Nestlé’s compliance with WHO Code related topics (pdf, 200Kb)
2011 External Report on Nestlé’s compliance with WHO Code related topics (pdf, 400Kb)
2010 External Report on Nestlé’s compliance with WHO Code related topics (pdf, 200Kb)
2009 External Report on Nestlé’s compliance with WHO Code related topics (pdf, 200Kb)

 

FTSE4Good

FTSE4Good is the responsible investment index of the FTSE Group. It is designed to help investors identify and invest in companies that meet globally recognized corporate responsibility standards. It is the only responsible investment index that has defined objective criteria on the responsible marketing of breast-milk substitutes.

We are proud to have been the first breast-milk substitutes manufacturer in the FTSE4Good Index and to have consistently met its rigorous criteria for the responsible marketing of breast-milk substitutes since 2011.

External audits performed by Bureau Veritas

Bureau Veritas independently assures our compliance with the Nestlé Policy and Procedures for the Implementation of the WHO International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes and national regulations for implementing the Code at a country level.

Bureau Veritas produces two to three assurance statements a year (note however, in 2020, only one was produced as a result of COVID-19-related disruption in conducting audits in the field). The statements can be found below.

External audits

2021 Mozambique (pdf, 100Kb) Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (pdf, 100Kb)  
2020 Myanmar (pdf, 600Kb)    
2019 Dominican Republic (pdf, 600Kb) Bolivia (pdf, 600Kb)  
2018 Indonesia (pdf, 400Kb)    
2017 Ethiopia (pdf, 300Kb) Turkey (pdf, 1Mb) Cambodia (pdf, 1Mb)
2016 Colombia (pdf, 300Kb) Uganda (pdf, 400Kb) Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (pdf, 1Mb)
2015 Peru (pdf, 300Kb) Pakistan (pdf, 200Kb) Egypt (pdf, 300Kb)
2014 Kenya (pdf, 300Kb) Russia (pdf, 100Kb)  
2013 Pakistan (pdf, 100Kb) China (pdf, 100Kb)  
2012 Argentina (pdf, 200Kb) Ukraine & Armenia (pdf, 200Kb) Vietnam (pdf, 200Kb)
2011 Cameroon (pdf, 100Kb) Jamaica (pdf, 100Kb) Laos (pdf, 100Kb)
2010 India (pdf, 200Kb) Philippines (pdf, 200Kb) Ghana (pdf, 200Kb)
2009 Brazil (pdf, 100Kb) Ecuador (pdf, 100Kb) El Salvador (pdf, 100Kb)

 

Response to IBFAN reports

We publicly respond to International Baby Food Action Network reports, which compiles concerns about baby food marketing practices by all major infant food manufacturers. We investigate all allegations made in the reports and publicly communicate the results of our investigations. We take corrective action wherever it is warranted.

Nestlé responses to IBFAN reports

2018 Nestlé response to IBFAN Report 2018 (pdf, 700Kb)
2017 Nestlé response to IBFAN Report 2017 (pdf, 1Mb)
2014 Nestlé response to IBFAN Report 2014 (pdf, 650Kb)
2010 Nestlé response to IBFAN Report 2010 (pdf, 3Mb)
2007 Nestlé response to IBFAN Report 2007 (pdf, 1Mb)
2004 Nestlé response to IBFAN Report 2004 (pdf, 3Mb)

 

Addressing stakeholder concerns

We encourage stakeholders and the general public to tell us of any concerns regarding our compliance with the Nestlé Policy or national legislation on the marketing of breast-milk substitutes through our compliance reporting system. Here are our responses to concerns raised directly with us through official mail.

Responses to stakeholder concerns

31 Aug 2022 Nestlé comments to WHO's report: "Scope and impact of digital marketing strategies for promoting breastmilk substitutes" (pdf, 200Kb)
11 Mar 2019 Nestlé response to Globalization Monitor (pdf, 500Kb)
4 Apr 2018 Nestlé response to P. Gertler’s working paper (pdf, 500Kb)
23 Feb 2018 Nestlé response to Save the Children report (pdf, 300Kb)
6 Feb 2018 Nestlé response to Changing The Markets Foundation report (pdf, 350Kb)
14 Oct 2014 Nestlé’s response to Baby Milk Action’s concerns (pdf, 300Kb)
2 Apr 2014 Nestlé’s response to Baby Milk Action’s concerns (pdf, 100Kb)
8 Aug 2013 Nestlé’s response to Baby Milk Action’s concerns regarding Wyeth Nutrition’s marketing practices in the UK (pdf, 100Kb)
6 May 2013 Nestlé on Save the Children UK report ‘Superfood for Babies’ and petition (pdf, 10Kb)
10 Dec 2012 Nestlé and Bear Brand sweetened beverage creamer (pdf, 100Kb)
25 Jun 2012 Nestlé responds to Baby Milk Action concerning Wyeth’s marketing practices (pdf, 100Kb)
24 Apr 2012 Nestlé’s response to the court case on labelling in India (pdf, 50Kb)
29 Nov 2011 Nestlé publishes results of external audit in Laos (pdf, 100Kb)
29 Nov 2011 Nestlé responds to allegations of non-compliance with the WHO Code in Armenia (pdf, 50Kb)
7 Jul 2011 Nestlé investigates allegations by NGOs in Laos (pdf, 100Kb)
10 Nov 2009 Nestlé investigates allegations of non-compliance with WHO Code (pdf, 50Kb)
23 Sep 2009 Campaign for ethical marketing (pdf, 200Kb)
24 Jul 2007 Nestlé supports Philippines’ revision of Milk Code (pdf, 100Kb)
9 Jul 2007 Nestlé Philippines stands apart by supporting revision of Milk Code (pdf, 100Kb)
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