Breast-milk substitute marketing compliance

We invest heavily in ensuring our breast-milk substitutes marketing complies with the Nestlé Policy for implementing the WHO Code.

This is why we updated in January 2023 our Policy for Implementing the WHO Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes (pdf, 5Mb). Our Policy prohibits the promotion of infant formula for babies aged 0-6 months as a minimum in all countries.

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

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

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

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