PARIS, February 27, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

• The Consumer Goods Forum reveals more companies are engaging with communities on health;
• 85% of consumer goods companies say they have formed partnerships with community stakeholders;
• 58% have participated in food bank programmes, distributing 180 million meals and donating over 77,400 tonnes of food;
• Over 1.6 million employees participated in health and wellness programmes.

The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) has published a new report showing that more companies are engaging with their communities on health topics. The annual Health & Wellness Pillar Progress Report highlights that last year there was a 26% rise in participation in health-related programmes amongst CGF members. The report is based on a survey of 83 CGF members, who generate a combined US$2.97 trillion in revenues.

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Community engagement has been a major focus for the FMCG sector over the last year, as 85% of consumer goods companies have formed partnerships with community stakeholders.

Over 1.6 million employees participated in health and wellness programmes. Employees form key groups within local communities and improving health in the workplace is also seen as a key step towards healthier communities.

Furthermore, nearly six in ten companies (58%) said they had been involved in food bank programmes, with 180 million meals distributed and in excess of 77,400 tonnes of food donated.

The Consumer Goods Forum's 'Collaboration for Healthier Lives' (CHL) initiative has pushed the issue of community health programmes and working with local public health authorities to the top of the agenda in the boardroom. The project, which aims to drive positive action within communities around the world, has encouraged FMCG companies to go out into communities and actively promote health and wellness.

In 2017, CHL initiatives have taken place in Colombia, Japan and the United States, and more are planned to be rolled-out this year in Costa Rica, Mexico and the United Kingdom. Activities have included distributing educational material in stores, engaging with local educational institutions, promoting the benefits of healthier choices and regular exercise through health fairs and free in-store health checks. As a result of these initiatives, local engagement is the major theme of this year's Health & Wellness Pillar report, emphasising the benefits of retailer and manufacturer collaboration.

The Health & Wellness report also demonstrated that product reformulation has been a continued focus over the last year. Just under nine in ten (88%) of companies said they had introduced products that had been formulated or reformulated to support healthier diets and lifestyles. There was also a 12% rise in the number of businesses that are cutting salt and sugar in their products.

The CGF Board Co-Sponsors Mark Schneider, CEO of Nestlé S.A and Dick Boer, Ahold Delhaize President and CEO wrote in the foreword to the report: "Our ambition to empower consumers to lead healthier lives is an important long-term objective that requires sustained effort. We are helping to improve the health of the communities we serve, but we know that there is so much more we can do together. Building upon our initial five-year plan from 2013, we now intend to strengthen our leadership in this area for the next five years and beyond."

The Consumer Goods Forum's Director of Health & Wellness, Sharon Bligh, commented: "This year's annual report highlights the progress that's being made on a community level. I would like to thank all the CGF member companies, who have shared their data in the only such global survey covering both retailers and consumer goods manufacturers, for their continuous efforts to make the health and wellness agenda relevant. I also would like to thank Mary Kearney, Senior Manager - Nutrition & Health Operations at Unilever, for her leadership as Chair for the Measurement & Reporting work stream. We are delighted to see our members' projects reach such a large number of employees and communities".

 Download 2018 Health & Wellness Progress Report

About The Consumer Goods Forum 

The Consumer Goods Forum ("CGF") is a global, parity-based industry network that is driven by its members to encourage the global adoption of practices and standards that serves the consumer goods industry worldwide. It brings together the CEOs and senior management of some 400 retailers, manufacturers, service providers, and other stakeholders across 70 countries, and it reflects the diversity of the industry in geography, size, product category and format. Its member companies have combined sales of EUR 3.5 trillion and directly employ nearly 10 million people, with a further 90 million related jobs estimated along the value chain. It is governed by its Board of Directors, which comprises more than 50 manufacturer and retailer CEOs. For more information, please visit: http://www.theconsumergoodsforum.com.

SOURCE The Consumer Goods Forum