Multistakeholder Engagement
The United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which created the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), considers that achieving zero hunger (SDG 2) and good health and wellbeing (SDG 3) for all requires a whole society approach and the engagement of all stakeholders (SDG 17).
The World Health Organization (WHO) has endorsed six further targets – Global Targets 2025 – for improving maternal, infant and young child nutrition. These targets include stunting, anaemia, low birth weight, childhood overweight, breastfeeding and wasting. WHO Member States are committed to monitoring progress towards achieving these targets, which is vital for identifying priority areas for action and catalysing global change.
Given these Goals and Targets, APIYCNA recognises and embraces its responsibility to operate in a responsible, ethical and professional manner.
The following principles guide APIYCNA’s work with policy-makers, legislators, civil society organisations, academia, health experts and all interested stakeholders.
Guiding Principles
1. Provide optimal nutrition for people with special dietary requirements
Our members offer a variety of foods that are formulated to satisfy specific dietary requirements due to physical or physiological conditions and/or specific diseases and disorders.
2. Support science-based innovation and policy-making
Our industry is committed to continuous product improvement and advancing scientific innovation. Special dietary foods are formulated and manufactured according to the latest available science in food safety, and across the entire range of studies in the complex field of nutrition. APIYCNA supports a science-based approach to innovating and regulating foods for special dietary uses. To better address the nutritional and health requirements of people with special dietary needs, it is necessary to continue to innovate and to draw on a wealth of scientific expertise and the latest research developments.
3. Set high standards on safety and quality of special dietary foods
Safety and quality are always our top priority. Our ingredients and our products are based on rigorous compositional and safety specifications, meeting strict hygiene, safety and quality control standards, as set out in relevant Codex standards and regional or national legislation.
APIYCNA supports the setting of high standards on safety and quality, and strongly endorses the adoption of internal governance procedures by our members and manufacturers in the industry to ensure compliance with local regulations and legal accountability to relevant competent authorities.
4. Support internal and external transparent dialogue
APIYCNA is committed to fostering a constructive, open and evidence-based dialogue with all stakeholders on issues within the association’s remit. This includes food safety and quality of infant nutrition products developed or manufactured by our members, as well as all policies and regulations relevant to our sector.
5. Implement regulatory compliance & voluntary self-regulatory initiatives
Our members are committed to full compliance with all relevant global, regional and national regulations and standards. In addition, APIYCNA supports voluntary self-regulatory initiatives adopted by relevant industry associations subject to the applicable antitrust regulations.