The Consumer Goods Forum Announces New Film Series Produced by BBC StoryWorks

The series will comprise several short, documentary-like stories of how the CGF’s members – consumer goods retailers, platforms and manufacturers – are delivering practical and scaleable solutions to some of the world’s biggest challenges. Most of the stories will focus on the CGF’s current positive change priorities, which include: reducing plastic and food waste; eliminating commodity-driven deforestation; assuring safe food and sustainable supply chains; driving out forced labour; supporting healthier behaviours and lifestyles; and providing comprehensive product information to consumers.

With a focus on the transformative power of new technologies and the centrality of people at every step of the value chain, the project will aim to showcase the CGF’s collaborative spirit, inspiring knowledge sharing and solution implementation.

The current pandemic gives a new urgency to this film series. Today the CGF’s members and their employees are putting purpose before profit to maintain our supply of essential food, drink, health and hygiene products. When the crisis eventually subsides, consumers will expect business to play an even stronger role in protecting a planet and society that now look even more fragile than they did last year. We hope that the examples of positive change to be featured in the series will encourage other companies to follow suit.

Peter Freedman, Managing Director, The Consumer Goods Forum, said: “The COVID-19 pandemic is reminding us of the importance of our health, the preciousness of our planet and the value of community-wide solidarity. Every day, the CGF’s members are collaborating to drive positive change in the world, delivering a purpose beyond profit.  By sharing honest, human stories about this work with the BBC’s large global audience, we hope that we can help to build the trust of the industry’s consumers worldwide. This promises to be a powerful project and we hope to inspire more companies in the industry to follow suit.”

Simon Shelley, Global Director of Partnerships at BBC Global News said: “We’re excited to embark on the production of a powerful series that will bring to screen the meaningful progress the industry is making tackling some complex challenges. People and the planet will be right at the heart of these stories, just as they are in the in decisions being taken to drive positive change. We’re looking forward to exploring inspiring initiatives, novel collaborations and positive solutions in an impactful way.”

The series will launch at a series of events in 2021 as part of a multi-channel campaign including BBC.com audiences around the globe and social amplification to targeted groups.  A wide network of retailers, manufacturers, investors and consumers will also be targeted to provide additional exposure and to encourage a measurable change in the popular understanding of the companies behind the consumer goods industry. BBC StoryWorks will be using proprietary neuroscience techniques, along with other traditional measurement tools to magnify the reach and impact of the series.

The Consumer Goods Forum will kick off the work with BBC StoryWorks, the commercial creative arm of BBC Global News, by bringing to screen work being carried out across the the world through selected stories. The Consumer Goods Forum network will be approached with specific information on how to become involved in the project.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

For more information about the project and to express your interest in participating, please contact:

Lara McNeil

Researcher, BBC Global News

lara.mcneil@bbc.com

Flavia Ballve 

Senior Manager, Marketing and Communications 

f.ballve@theconsumergoodsforum.com

— Ends —

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: www.theconsumergoodsforum.com.

About BBC:

The BBC is now reaching a record weekly audience of 465 million people around the world. BBC Global News operates the BBC’s commercially-funded 24-hour international news platforms: BBC World News, which has 101 million viewers per week, and BBC.com, which counts 116 million unique browsers per month. BBC StoryWorks brings together the qualities of a creative studio with the agility and efficiency of a newsroom, drawing on the BBC’s own editorial and production values, with teams in seven cities including London, New York and Singapore.

For further information, please contact:

Flavia Ballve
Senior Manager, Marketing and Communications
The Consumer Goods Forum
f.ballve@theconsumergoodsforum.com