Facing a Global Challenge

 

We are facing a global challenge, with existing health care structures facing increasing challenges and economic burdens. There are over two billion people overweight or obese in the world, and we can expect a near 50% increase in the prevalence of diabetes from 2017 to 2045, and the number of people over 60 years of age is set to triple by 2100 to almost three billion. Consumers and our employees want to be empowered to make changes to their health and wellbeing, so they can live healthy and more active lifestyles for longer. People are craving change, and we recognise our industry’s role in both preventing illness and in empowering people to live healthier lives.

Collaboration for Healthier Lives (“Healthier Lives”; “CHL”) is about addressing this need. The Collaboration for Healthier Lives Coalition’s vision is empowered, healthy consumers globally, and its mission is to inspire healthier behaviour in stores, online and throughout communities around the world. It builds on the work done over the last decade by CGF members through its Health & Wellness initiative.

The Coalition is led by manufacturers and retailers in partnership with public health authorities, local communities, academia and other stakeholders. Its commitment is to help people make healthier decisions every day in every community around the world. It is about making it easier for people to take care of themselves and their families.

Coalition action is backed by a charter adopted by all its members and outlines the following common objectives:

  • Inspire healthier behaviours in stores, online and in communities.
  • Build upon digital innovations and data sharing to enable new business models.
  • Enable healthy workforces by implementing Employee Health & Wellbeing programmes and through the Workforce Nutrition Alliance, co-created with the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN).
  • Be a convening platform for business and stakeholders such as public health authorities, civil society organisations and academia.

CEO-led from Start to Finish

Mark Schneider, CEO, Nestlé: “I believe that business can be a force for good, including by supporting better nutrition. We, manufacturers and retailers, aim to make a positive difference in people’s lives, serving our communities responsibly and protecting the environment. Collaboration for Healthier Lives is our platform to help achieve sustainable healthy diets and lifestyles for all.”

 

 

Frans Muller, CEO, Ahold Delhaize: “The key is to holistically educate, and it must be a collaborative effort. We are able to do that because our local brands are deeply embedded in their communities as providers of food and as large employers. These close links to the community are very important for understanding what the challenges are and for helping communities thrive”.

 

The Health & Wellness Framework

 

 

To bring to life our vision of a collective business movement to empower people to live healthier lives and drive shared business value, and to build on the success of our resolutions and commitments, our strategy today consists of three strategic pillars:

Employees: Driving health and wellness programmes for the 10 million employees of the CGF member companies.

Stores in Action: Leading business innovation in-store to make healthier choices easy.

Digital: Nudging behavioural change and encouraging community participation with digital tools.

Our work on health and wellbeing is also supporting the broader UN goals for sustainable development. More specifically, we are playing our part to end hunger, promote good health and well-being and decent working conditions, and build effective partnerships.

 

Download the Collaboration for Heathier Lives One Pager