Slough, UK 12 December 2018 – RB secures continued accreditation in the FTSE4Good Index, the world’s leading global responsible investment index measuring the performance of companies demonstrating strong Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices. With the acquisition of Mead Johnson Nutrition, RB needed to satisfy a number of mandatory Breast-Milk Substitute (BMS) Marketing Inclusion Criteria (‘Criteria’) to retain FTSE4Good accreditation.
“Today, RB is proud to announce it has satisfied the FTSE4Good BMS Criteria, making it only the third BMS manufacturer to do so. This showcases how seriously RB takes responsibility and transparency—illustrated by consecutive inclusion in the FTSE4Good Index since 2003.” said RB CEO Rakesh Kapoor.
Commenting on the milestone, David Harris, Head of Sustainable Investment, FTSE Russell said, “We congratulate RB on the efforts they have made to retain their inclusion in the FTSE4Good index series. They have made substantial progress on the issue of BMS Marketing since acquiring Mead Johnson Nutrition in order to meet our detailed criteria, demonstrating the necessary changes in company policies and practices, which lead to improved standards in this important area.”
As part of its commitment to transparency, the company has published a number of BMS related materials:
- Infant and Child Nutrition Pledge - outlines our commitments in the nutrition space and our support for exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months of life.
- BMS Marketing Policy & Procedures - establishes our mandatory marketing practices in support of the aims and principles of the WHO Code of 1981. The procedures address management systems, governance, monitoring and reporting.
- Regular reports on adherence to Policy and corrective actions taken: IBFAN Response and Action Plan, Philippines Audit Report and Response/Corrective Action Statement.
- Position on nutrition with our RB Access to Nutrition Statement, in which we recognise that much more needs to be done to improve access to healthy nutrition. We will work constructively with all stakeholders to promote evidence-based, well informed policies that help families, infants and children receive the nutrition that is best for them. Our industry collaboration partnerships are clear on our Infant and Child Associations Map.
This commitment to transparency will continue into 2019 and beyond. There is also an appreciation that progressing industry BMS marketing practices is a journey, and RB will collaborate with other stakeholders to identify areas for improvement. Further, RB commits to be at the forefront of partnerships with stakeholders to meet the broader UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), working across industry, government and civil society to promote engagement, transparency and continuous improvement. Being a responsible and transparent company means talking more openly about what we stand for, and how we want to deliver on our purpose of providing innovative solutions for healthier lives and happier homes.
For more information on the FTSE4Good Index: http://www.ftse.com/products/indices/FTSE4Good