Progress

Policy Commitment

• ATNI did not find a policy, nor any other documents published by Progress that cover the marketing of complementary foods and drinks for older infants and young children between six months and three years of age. In addition, the company was not found to commit to not market CF products for infants under six months of age, therefore it only gets half of the initial overall Corporate Profile score, as described in the section above.

• No other relevant information was found to reflect recognition of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and relevant subsequent WHA resolutions, including the guidance on ending the inappropriate promotion of foods for infants and young children supported by WHA resolution 69.9.

• No information was found on the company’s support of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and continued breastfeeding up to two years of age or beyond, as well as of the introduction of appropriate complementary foods from the age of six months, as per international public health recommendations.

• Therefore, the company did not score on this topic. Progress is urged to adopt WHO guidance relating to complementary feeding and uphold globally recognized public health guidelines, with a key requirement of no longer producing and selling commercial complementary foods for infants aged under six months.

Policy Commitment

• Progress did not score on this topic since no explicit commitments were found nor shared by the company on the formulation of complementary foods for older infants and young children aged 6-36 months. No information was found indicating if the company adheres to any relevant Codex standards and guidelines at a minimum, nor if it follows any national, regional, and global standards for composition, safety, quality and nutrient levels.

• Progress is encouraged to explicitly state which specific Codex standards and guidelines and other national, regional, and global standards it follows at a minimum for clear reference, and to ensure that the listed standards and guidelines are regularly revised so that the most updated versions are adhered to

Management System

• ATNI was unable to identify documentation of any management systems the company has in place to implement any policy it may have in relation to CF marketing.

• To score in this area, Progress would need to develop comprehensive management systems, procedures and other guidance for its employees to implement all commitments set out in its policy(ies) relating to responsible CF marketing.

Policy Commitment

• Progress did not score on this topic since no explicit commitments were found to ensure that messages on all packaging and marketing/promotional materials of its complementary foods for older infants and young children aged 6-36 months align with the Code requirements of what should and should not be stated as per recommendation 4 of the guidance on ending the inappropriate promotion of foods for infants and young children supported by WHA resolution 69.9.

• Progress is encouraged to adopt these Code requirements in full for all CF marketing materials and clearly outline them in a company policy dedicated to the responsible marketing of complementary foods.

Management System

• No relevant guidance or procedure manuals were found or shared by Progress demonstrating the implementation of the commitments assessed on this topic. The company therefore does not score in this aspect.

• To score in this area, Progress would need to develop comprehensive management systems, procedures and other guidance for its employees to implement all commitments set out in its policy(ies) relating to responsible CF marketing.

Policy Commitment

• Progress was not assessed on the BMS Marketing Index 2024, therefore, the topic of cross-promotion does not apply to the company.

Management System

• Progress was not assessed on the BMS Marketing Index 2024, therefore, the topic of cross-promotion does not apply to the company.

Policy Commitment

• Progress did not score on this topic since no explicit commitments were found to avoid conflicts of interest throughout the healthcare system in line with the Code, specifically recommendation 6 of the guidance on ending the inappropriate promotion of foods for infants and young children supported by WHA resolution 69.9.

• To comply with the Code, Progress would need to explicitly commit to not using health facilities to host events of any kind and to not giving out gifts or any other offerings to caregivers of infants and young children. The company should also commit to not educating caregivers on infant and young child feeding and to only provide scientific and factual information to health workers on the use of complementary foods for older infants and young children aged 6-36 months. Progress would also need to refrain from providing contributions to health workers and sponsor meetings of health professionals and scientific meetings.

• Progress is encouraged to adopt recommendation 6 of the guidance supported by WHA resolution 69.9, and clearly outline in a company policy dedicated to the responsible marketing of complementary foods how it will avoid conflicts of interest with healthcare workers and in healthcare facilities in line with these Code requirements.

Management System

• ATNI was unable to identify documentation of relevant commitments and no relevant management systems were identified either, therefore the company did not score in this aspect. To score in this area, Progress would need to develop comprehensive management systems, procedures and other guidance for its employees to implement all commitments set out in its policy(ies) relating to responsible CF marketing.

Policy Commitment

• ATNI identified a news item on the company's website, where it was clearly stated that the company donates CF products for social welfare. However, no other evidence was found in the public domain nor shared by the company to reflect the company's official commitment, therefore the evidence was not adequate to substantiate the assessment.

• Progress did not score on this topic since no explicit commitments were found to indicate that:

- the company does not donate nor provide samples of complementary foods for older infants and young children aged 6-36 months to caregivers and children through health workers or health facilities

- the company does not donate or distribute any equipment, materials (including educational materials), or services to any part of the health care system

- the company does not donate CF 6-36 products in humanitarian settings, unless officially requested by a competent government authority of the country affected by the emergency or by the designated emergency response coordinating body acting on behalf of the government

- the company does not use donations of CF 6-36 products to children who require them in social welfare institutions as a sales inducement, nor distributes them for use outside these institutions

• Progress is encouraged to clearly outline in a company policy dedicated to the responsible marketing of complementary foods how it will donate complementary foods for older infants and young children aged 6-36 months in various settings, and ensure that it follows recommendation 6 of the guidance supported by WHA resolution 69.9, as well as the requirements outlined in WHA resolutions 47.5 and 63.23 pertaining to donations, and the Operational Guidance for Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies.

Management System

• ATNI was unable to identify relevant guidance or procedure manuals were found or shared by Progress demonstrating the implementation of the commitments assessed on this topic. The company therefore does not score in this aspect.

• To score in this area, Progress would need to develop comprehensive management systems, procedures and other guidance for its employees to implement all commitments set out in its policy(ies) relating to responsible CF marketing.

Management System

• Progress did not score on this topic, mainly due to the company’s lack of commitments, specifically in relation to the marketing of complementary foods for older infants and young children aged 6-36 months.
• The company explicitly states on its website that it follows food safety and quality management systems to certify its products, among them ISO and FSSC22000. Therefore, the company scores on this indicator.

• ATNI was unable to identify other relevant commitments, and no relevant management systems were identified either, therefore the company did not score in this aspect.

• To score in this area, in addition to developing and having a comprehensive company policy dedicated to the responsible marketing of complementary foods, Progress is encouraged to clearly define and effectively communicate to all relevant employees and relevant executives their responsibilities for implementing commitments related to the marketing of CF 6-36.

Policy Commitment

• ATNI did not find any publicly available information with regard to any commitments or objectives the company has in relation to engagement with policymakers on CF marketing. The company therefore did not score on this topic.

• To score in this area, Progress is encouraged to develop a policy setting out under what circumstances and how it will lobby and engage with governments and policymakers on issues relating to CF marketing. The company should also commit to not undermining existing public policy frameworks, the work of WHO or similar agencies, and Government efforts to develop regulations to implement the Code in full. In addition, the company should review the positions of all trade associations and industry policy groups it belongs to and assess the extent to which they align with the company’s own policy positions.

Management System

• ATNI was unable to identify documentation about any management systems the company has in place to implement any policy it may have in relation to engaging with stakeholders on CF marketing.

• To score in this area, Progress would need to clearly assign executive responsibilities and oversight to ensure the effective implementation of its policy on engaging with stakeholders on CF marketing and the Code, as well as develop clear systems and control mechanisms such as reporting and internal audits.

Disclosure

• No information was found on Progress’ website neither of its interactions, or that of its trade associations, in legislative processes related to the Code and CF marketing, nor of links to relevant external platforms that may include this information. ATNI encourages the company to follow key public policy frameworks in private sector engagement and lobbying such as the Responsible Lobbying framework, WHO framework of engagement with non-state actors and OECD principles for transparency and integrity in lobbying, among others.

Disclosure

• Progress did not fully score on this topic, mainly due to the company’s lack of commitments specifically in relation to the marketing of complementary foods for older infants and young children aged 6-36 months.

• In addition to developing and having a comprehensive company policy dedicated to the responsible marketing of complementary foods, Progress is encouraged to have its commitments available and easily accessible in the public domain.