GC33 Infant Formula and WHO Code (1990I525)

WHEREAS in spite of the International Marketing Code of the World Health Organization, and in spite of UNICEF’s repeated statements that death from diarrhea is 25 times higher for infants who are bottle fed than those who are breast fed – and in spite of thousands of scientific studies documenting the life-enhancing and life-saving qualities of breast milk, the infant formula industry continues its immoral promotion of dangerous feeding methods, particularly through the distribution of free supplies to hospitals and maternities;

WHEREAS Nestle, with close to $30 billion sales globally, controls the largest share of the world’s infant formula market; and

WHEREAS in August of 1989 Action for Corporate Accountability, the United States based group which is spearheading the Nestle boycott with the support of 34 church and social justice organizations as well as 3 Units of the World Council of Churches made a four point request of Nestle with which the company has not yet complied;

WHEREAS the 1978-1984 International boycott of Nestle’s involved many United Church people and resulted in the company significantly altering marketing practices other than free supply distribution:

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that British Columbia Conference petition the 33rd General Council to:

1. Urge Nestle to comply with Action for Corporate Accountability’s recommendations; namely that it:

   1. Announce a corporate policy to end the provision of all free supplies to hospitals and maternities, and set a definite date and timetable for doing so,

   2. Honour its 1984 commitment to change its own marketing policies and practices to fully comply with the World Health Organization/ UNICEF International Code independent of other party’s actions,

   3. Use its influence as the industry leader to press for changes in the practices of the other members of Infant Food Manufacturers so as to fully comply with the World Health Organization/ UNICEF Code,

   4. Apply the World Health Organization/ UNICEF International Code in all nations;

2. Urge people in each pastoral charge of the United Church to write to Nestle Enterprises Ltd., asking it to comply with Action for Corporate Accountability’s August 1989 recommendations as outlined above.

GC33 1990 ROP, pp. 182, 749