How we work

Spotlighting the practices of food companies

We rank large food companies and retailors, as well as producers of breastmilk substitutes and complementary foods, highlighting best practices, and areas for improvement, on their commitment to supply nutritious, sustainable products, and adhere to global best practices. We invite companies to engage with the research process, but there is no ‘opt out’; companies that decide not to engage are still assessed based on publicly available information.

Guiding institutional investors

We provide investors with the data they need to make investment decisions which support long term health and wellbeing, by only investing in companies with strong commitments to delivering more nutritious foods. We show nutrition is a material issue for companies, and give investors the data they need to make informed decisions about company’s commitments to affordable, nutritious and sustainable foods.

Informing food environment policies

We support policy makers with data to shape policies to make healthier and sustainable foods more accessible. We know that policy and regulation are a key in shaping markets to deliver nutritious, affordable foods. We show where voluntary regulation is not working and highlight areas where mandatory policies are needed.

Supporting civil society organisations

We engage with consumer rights groups, and other civil society organisations, working to create healthier and more sustainable foods systems. We arm these groups with the evidence and data they need to pressure on companies, investors and policymakers.

While we believe that industry has the power to improve the food system, we remain completely independent and do not accept funding from the food and beverage industry.

Main Principle

ATNi engages in open dialogue with all stakeholders, including the private sector, when the interactions have the potential to support (ATNi’s) mission to transform markets and improve access to healthier foods for all. However, we safeguard our independent position championing healthy and affordable nutrition for all. Therefore, we do not accept any funding, gifts or any incentives from the private sector.

Approach

Influencing business policies and practice to favour nutrition remains a central priority for ATNi. To this end, ATNi deploys an open dialogue approach that includes interacting with any organisation that has a real or potential impact (negative or positive) on malnutrition. Our ten-plus years’ experience has demonstrated that through assessments, discussion, and debate with organisations with which we may disagree, it is possible to achieve positive change.

Business interests

To ensure independence and impartiality in our work to improve business policies and practice for nutrition, ATNi does not accept funding from the food industry, or the private sector more generally. This allows ATNi to critique the private sector when necessary – or in some cases — to work with the private sector objectively to achieve nutrition outcomes where shared values exist. ATNi also actively identifies business interests in our collaborations and dialogues, ensuring they are documented and declared and that conflicts of interests are prevented in order to keep public health and nutrition at the forefront of our engagement.

For additional information, you can read ATNi’s Ethics policy here, our Conflict of Interest policy here, and our Gift Policy here.

Product healthiness

In 2024 we assessed more than 52,000 products sold by 30 of the largest food and beverage companies. Together these companies produce an estimated 23% of all packaged food and beverage products sold in formal markets, globally. We found only 34% of sales comes from products that meet standards for healthier products.

We are aiming to change this. We want to see at least 50% of product sales meeting standards for healthier products 2030.

Facilitating standardization of nutrient profile models (NPMs)

We work with companies to encourage them to use a government endorsed nutrient profile model to measure and report on the healthiness of their product portfolio.

We also aim to create more alignment in the sector around a limited number of nutrient profile models which can be widely used by all companies, making it easier for investors, consumers and policymakers to the healthiness of companies’ product offerings.

Marketing of unhealthy food to children

Children’s food environments, and the food marketing landscape around the world, are dominated by promotions for unhealthy products. Effective marketing restrictions are a powerful tool to safeguard children’s right to a healthier future.

We are working with companies, and policy makers to make stronger regulations about what can, and cannot, be marketed to children under 18.

Increased access to healthy foods for the poorest

Affordability, specifically of healthier products, is crucial for people to consume healthier diets and improve their nutritional outcomes.

We advise companies on how to add affordability targets for nutritious products, and to better support low-income consumers to access healthier foods. We also support policy measures to increase the affordability of healthier foods.

Ensuring compliance with the International Code on the marketing of breast-milk substitutes

We know exclusive breastfeeding is the best food for for infants up to 6 months and support continued breastfeeding up to 2 years. We work to ensure that companies are adhering to the international Code on the marketing of breastmilk substitutes (WHO code of 1981 and subsequent relevant WHA resolutions).

We highlight which companies are in violation of the code, and work with governments to create policies which are supportive of breastfeeding.

We do this in partnership with civil society organizations, and governments.