The Access to Nutrition Initiative (ATNI) recently presented the results of the India Index 2023, evaluating the performance of the 20 largest Indian food and beverage manufacturers, collectively representing approximately 36% of total sales of packaged foods and beverages in the country.
ATNI’s index methodology used 58 indicators across seven categories. The workforce nutrition category studies the extent to which companies support the nutritional wellbeing of their staff and supply chain workers through the implementation of workforce nutrition programmes. It also assesses support for parent-friendly working practices, such as supporting breastfeeding mothers at work and providing adequate parental leave.
While some companies are making strides in prioritising their employees’ nutritional wellbeing, the results indicate that only ten out of the 20 companies have demonstrated attention to workforce nutrition. Among these, five have clear evidence of established workforce nutrition programmes, two of which include measurable targets.
ATNI calls on companies to develop comprehensive workforce nutrition programmes, encompassing initiatives like offering healthy food at work, providing nutrition education, conducting nutrition-related health check-ups, and supporting breastfeeding mothers with meaningful and quantifiable outcomes.
The Workforce Nutrition Alliance provides a range of support services to executives tasked with developing or implementing workplace nutrition programs. These services include scorecards, guidebooks, and webinars, as well as a three-month online “Masterclass”.