The Future of Food:
Nourishing the Next Generation Through a Child Rights Approach

Today, we’re stepping onto the stage at the Dagen’s Industri Future Food Forum in Stockholm – a pivotal gathering of some of the most important actors involved in transforming the food sector. As we grapple with the intricate challenges of sustainability, nutrition, and technology, there’s an urgent call to integrate a child rights perspective into the food and beverage (F&B) industry. This imperative is heightened by insights from Global Child Forum’s Children’s Rights and Business Benchmark, which sheds light on how the F&B sector is performing in relation to children’s rights and offers a pathway for improvement.

Children are not just miniature adults; their nutritional needs, vulnerabilities, and rights require special consideration. A child rights approach in the F&B sector means crafting products, policies, and initiatives that promote access to nutritious food, combat malnutrition in all its forms, and protect children from harmful practices and marketing tactics that can lead to unhealthy eating habits.

This approach is a moral imperative and a strategic investment in the future health and productivity of societies worldwide. By nurturing healthier generations, we can look forward to a world where chronic diseases are less prevalent, and children can reach their full potential both mentally and physically.

Insights from Global Child Forum

Global Child Forum’s Children’s Rights and Business Benchmark critically analyses how well companies across various sectors, including F&B, are integrating child rights into their operations and strategies. For the F&B sector, the benchmark highlights several key areas for improvement:

• Commitment to Nutritious Products: While some companies are making strides in reformulating products to be healthier for children, the industry as a whole must prioritise nutrition and actively contribute to combating child obesity and malnutrition.
• Responsible Marketing Practices: The benchmark indicates that the F&B sector must adopt more stringent marketing policies, ensuring that advertising practices support positive dietary habits and do not exploit children’s vulnerability to persuasive marketing.
• Supply Chain Transparency: Ensuring that ingredients are sourced ethically and that supply chains do not exploit child labour is another critical aspect of protecting children’s rights within the F&B sector. The benchmark calls for enhanced transparency and accountability in supply chain practices.

Leading companies have made strides towards prioritising children’s rights and well-being through various initiatives: Unilever is known for its comprehensive sustainability programmes that often include aspects beneficial to children’s health and the environment; Kellogg’s has taken a proactive approach by reformulating its products to reduce sugar and increase nutritional value, benefiting children’s diets and health; Danone, focusing on delivering health through food to as many people as possible, includes initiatives specifically designed to improve the nutrition and health of children globally; and Chobani has not only committed to producing high-quality products, but also engages in initiatives focused on improving the welfare of children through education and access to nutritious food.

The Path Forward

While F&B companies are grappling with how to make sustainability profitable, there are compelling reasons for these companies to start from a children’s rights perspective:

• Consumer Demand: There’s a growing demand for healthier food options, particularly among parents concerned about their children’s health. Catering to this demand can attract a dedicated customer base.
• Brand Loyalty: Companies championing children’s health can build strong loyalty among parents, translating to sustained profits.
• Strategic Advantages: Emphasising corporate responsibility in children’s health can enhance a company’s reputation, attract quality employees, and position it as an industry leader in innovation and sustainability.
• Regulatory Benefits: By proactively anticipating regulations, companies can stay ahead of the curve and benefit from government incentives, reducing operational costs.

As we envision the future of food, it is clear that a child rights approach is beneficial and essential. F&B companies, policymakers, educators, and communities must work together to create environments where children’s rights are protected and promoted.

Let’s make the future of food about nurturing and empowering our youngest to grow, thrive, and lead the way forward.

Image credit (top): Africa Studio via stock.adobe.com