Highbrow Magazine - Coca Cola https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/coca-cola en Sustainable Agriculture Meets Big Business https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/3896-sustainable-agriculture-meets-big-business <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/news-features" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">News &amp; Features</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Thu, 04/10/2014 - 10:32</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1farming%20%28wiki%29.jpg?itok=Iyq4YSzD"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1farming%20%28wiki%29.jpg?itok=Iyq4YSzD" width="480" height="319" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p> </p> <p>Sustainability is infiltrating our national consciousness. These days, the marketing strategy of nearly every iconic American brand – promoting companies like Ford, Marriott, Microsoft and Walmart – seems to include some reference to it. Fortunately, photo-ops with employees dressed in Earth Day T-shirts as they build a garden don’t quite cut it anymore. Rather, sustainability agendas, corporate responsibility reports, corporate sponsorships, green initiatives, sustainability assessments and memberships in a variety of public-private multi-stakeholder initiatives are becoming the norm.</p> <p> </p> <p>Motivated by pressure from stakeholders as diverse as environmental and human rights groups, activist shareholders, global competitors, affected communities and concerned management, many companies are expanding their sustainability profiles. Consumer demand for more responsible and transparent business practices is also pushing companies ranging from apparel to oil and gas to rethink their priorities.</p> <p> </p> <p>This shift is clearly evident in the agricultural sector. From the organic, fair-trade and local crazes to the debate over labeling of genetically modified organisms, Americans’ appetite for information on the sources of their food is growing. Inspired by investigative articles, books and documentaries on food production, they want to know how their food is produced and at what costs.</p> <p> </p> <p>Increasingly, environmental and social costs are a part of that equation, and for good reason.</p> <p> </p> <p>According to the United Nations, by 2050 there will be an <a href="http://www.un.org/en/sustainablefuture/food.shtml#overview" target="_blank">additional 2 billion people</a> on earth. And, as pointed out recently in a <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/environment/earth-insight/2014/mar/14/nasa-civilisation-irreversible-collapse-study-scientists" target="_blank">NASA-sponsored study</a>, resource exploitation presents significant risks for future generations. The combination of depleted resources, aided by corporate action, and a surging world population underscore the need for improved sustainability efforts.</p> <p> </p> <p>The agricultural sector, which provides livelihoods for 40 percent of the world population, has an essential role to play. And food and beverage companies looking to beef up their credentials are taking note with a new focus on sustainability.</p> <p> </p> <p>Sustainable agriculture aims to strike a balance between the current needs of the global population and a viable future for new generations. And it does so by accounting for the <a href="http://www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/about-sarep/def/" target="_blank">whole system</a> involved in food production, including the individual farm, affected communities and local ecosystem. As with sustainability generally, <a href="http://sustainableagriculture.net/about-us/what-is-sustainable-ag/" target="_blank">this approach</a> to agriculture seeks to harmonize three factors -- economic profitability, social equity and environmental health. In other words, it focuses on the <a href="http://www.economist.com/node/14301663" target="_blank">triple bottom line</a> -- profit, people and the planet. </p> <p> </p> <p>Environmental health centers on conservation of natural resources like water and soil through a reduction in use and waste. Techniques include restoration of soil through crop rotation, cover crops and minimal tilling, decreased pesticide and synthetic fertilizer use, reduction of use of nonrenewable energy sources, and raising of pasture-raised livestock fed on natural diets. Social equity applies to a wide range of rights covering topics such as safe working conditions, fair wages and property ownership for agricultural workers around the globe.</p> <p> </p> <p>Economic profitability means ensuring that companies do not sacrifice their financial bottom lines in pursuit of environmental and social goals. The effects of climate change, horrifying accounts of rights violations and environmental degradation, and concerned shareholders have all served as negative catalysts for profitability. In response, corporations are increasingly incentivized to introduce viable sustainability agendas.</p> <p> </p> <p>***</p> <p> </p> <p>Companies in the agricultural sector are working on a number of initiatives to demonstrate their dedication to sustainability. Some of the largest food and beverage companies worldwide – like Coca-Cola, Kellogg’s, General Mills, Mars and PepsiCo – have outlined their commitment to practices that include reduction in water use, local sourcing, anti-deforestation and direct investment at the community level.</p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/1cocacola.jpg" style="height:414px; width:625px" /></p> <p> </p> <p>Progress may come in small steps. These companies still have a long way to go in getting to the bottom of their supply chains, responding to the needs of impacted communities, and ensuring consistency of their sustainability goals across a number of environmental and social causes. But even incremental changes, such as those profiled below, can bend corporate behavior towards more socially responsible conduct.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em>Reduction in water use.</em></strong> Reduction in water use is, not surprisingly, one area of low hanging fruit. Agriculture consumes approximately <a href="http://www.oecd.org/environment/wateruseinagriculture.htm" target="_blank">70 percent</a> of the world’s supply of fresh water, and for years many companies did not keep tabs on their water use.</p> <p> </p> <p>Conservation targets can set realistic, achievable goals and demonstrate results to interested parties. For instance, <a href="http://www.coca-colacompany.com/collaborating-to-replenish-the-water-we-use" target="_blank">Coca-Cola</a> has pledged by 2020 to give back to the environment and communities an amount of water equal to what it uses in the production and composition of finished beverages. In its 2013 “Water Stewardship &amp; Replenish Report,” the company estimated that it has already balanced water use for 52 percent of finished beverages.</p> <p> </p> <p>Of course, companies can also make sweeping commitments to meet targets that are thwarted by their suppliers. Transparency all the way down the supply chain is therefore essential. It also presents one of the biggest challenges for multinationals. For instance, food giant <a href="http://crr.kelloggcompany.com/en_US/corporate-responsibility/environment/water-use/our-water-performance.html" target="_blank">Kellogg’s</a> has committed to reducing water use by 15 to 20 percent by 2015. But global nonprofit Oxfam notes in this year’s “<a href="http://www.oxfam.org/en/grow/campaigns/behind-brands" target="_blank">Behind the Brands</a>” scorecard for the 10 largest food and beverage companies worldwide that Kellogg’s targets for reduction in water use have been disrupted by noncompliance along its supply chain.</p> <p> </p> <p>This is true even though Kellogg’s is transparent about water availability in the places where it operates. The company conducts <a href="http://crr.kelloggcompany.com/en_US/corporate-responsibility/environment/water-use/water-related-risks-and-opportunities.html" target="_blank">assessments</a> that shine a spotlight on where its activities intersect with the greatest water-stressed areas worldwide so it can prioritize its efforts.</p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/1water%20%28Geralt%20Pixabay%29.jpg" style="height:441px; width:625px" /></p> <p> </p> <p>Another approach is to provide instruction on water conservation practices directly to the growers at the bottom of the supply chain. For instance, <a href="http://www.generalmills.com/en/Responsibility/Environment/ingredients/sustainable_farming.aspx" target="_blank">General Mills</a> began an initiative in 2008 to cut in half the amount of water used to grow Green Giant cauliflower and broccoli in Central Mexico by teaching growers drip irrigation farming. According to the company, drip irrigation uses approximately half of the amount of water as conventional irrigation. General Mills also gives interest-free loans of up to $200,000 to purchase drip irrigation equipment. </p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em>Local sourcing</em></strong><em>. </em>Another type of corporate initiative in sustainable agriculture is to source locally. This practice can reduce carbon footprints, as well as lower shipping costs and result in fresher products.</p> <p> </p> <p>For multinational food companies, local often means regional. For instance, <a href="http://crr.kelloggcompany.com/en_US/corporate-responsibility/environment/sustainable-agriculture.html" target="_blank">Kellogg’s</a> grows and sources a majority of its ingredients in the same country where the food products are manufactured. So all of the corn and rice in its American products are grown domestically, and Australian foods are made with 100 percent of grains grown in Australia. The same is true for wheat in Europe and rice in Columbia.</p> <p> </p> <p>Some companies are also committed to cultivating indigenous, specialty food crops and incorporating them into their supply chains. <a href="http://crr.kelloggcompany.com/en_US/corporate-responsibility/environment/sustainable-agriculture/our-work-with-grain-breeders-and-growers.html" target="_blank">Kellogg’s</a> funds a program in Mexico that trains small, local farmers on cultivation of amaranth, a highly nutritious native grain. The company teaches use and sale of the grain in food products. This initiative also provides a sustainable source of income for rural women.</p> <p> </p> <p>Local sourcing can apply to a number of ingredients contained in one product. To produce Haagen-Dazs ice cream in France, <a href="http://www.generalmills.com/en/Responsibility/Environment/ingredients/sustainable_farming.aspx" target="_blank">General Mills</a> relies on nearby suppliers of milk, cream, eggs and packaging materials. It also generates nearly all of its fuel to power the boiler used to make milk and cream with discarded woodchips from local forests.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em>Anti-deforestation</em></strong><em>. </em>Reduction in deforestation is another area of interest for socially responsible agricultural companies. Traditional harvesting of palm oil – a vegetable oil found in many common snack foods – is a primary cause of deforestation, habitat destruction for endangered species, and carbon dioxide emissions. With sustainable palm oil, companies can lessen their environmental impact. </p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/1crops%20%28wiki%29.jpg" style="height:469px; width:625px" /></p> <p> </p> <p>Many companies ostensibly support anti-deforestation efforts through their memberships in multi-stakeholder initiatives like the approximately 1,300-member <a href="http://www.rspo.org/" target="_blank">Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil</a> (RSPO), which promotes sourcing of sustainable palm oil. Food and beverage companies including Mars, General Mills, Kellogg’s and PepsiCo have pledged in the past to purchase certified sustainable palm oil for all of their products by 2015.</p> <p> </p> <p>Yet, there has been a great deal of criticism regarding the ineffectiveness of the RSPO. In response to negative publicity and a new milestone set by Swiss-based <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/greenpeace-procter-gamble-palm-oil-change" target="_blank">Nestle</a>, which completed a six-month process last year in which it mapped the global supply chain to ensure complete transparency and prevent deforestation among its suppliers, companies like <a href="http://www.ipsnews.net/2014/03/mars-latest-announce-deforestation-palm-oil-pledge/" target="_blank">Mars</a>, <a href="https://www.generalmills.com/en/ChannelG/Issues/palm_oil_statement.aspx" target="_blank">General Mills</a> and <a href="http://newsroom.kelloggs.com/2014-02-14-Kellogg-Announces-Global-Commitment-To-Fully-Traceable-Sourcing-Of-Palm-Oil" target="_blank">Kellogg’s</a> recently announced similar commitments. These companies have pledged by 2015 to exclusively source palm oil that their suppliers can actually trace back to plantations that do not engage in deforestation.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em>Direct investment.</em></strong> Some corporations also aim to improve small farmers’ livelihoods and the environment through direct investment. This top-down approach risks failing to align the goals of direct investment with the needs of the recipient communities. The shifting spotlight towards sustainable businesses at the local level, however, is a major step. </p> <p> </p> <p>Direct investment comes in the form of training, financial support and partnerships. Last year, <a href="http://www.generalmills.com/en/ChannelG/NewsReleases/Library/2013/September/peru_sourcing.aspx" target="_blank">General Mills</a> launched a four-year long, $1.1 million program in Peru to train small farmers on practices to improve profits and increase yields. Topics covered include crop management, formation of farmer cooperatives, and financial planning. The company will also provide microloans to farmers to purchase shoots and seeds. Earlier in 2013, <a href="http://www.generalmills.com/en/ChannelG/NewsReleases/Library/2013/February/madagascar_vanilla.aspx">General Mills </a>launched a two-year long, $125,000 program in Madagascar – the world’s premiere vanilla-growing region – along with supplier partner Virginia Dare and CARE to train vanilla farmers on sustainable farming and value-added production techniques to increase their incomes. </p> <p><img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/1kelloggs.jpg" style="height:343px; width:625px" /></p> <p> </p> <p>Yet, even with these direct investments, transparency in the supply chain can be difficult. Oxfam’s “<a href="http://www.oxfam.org/en/grow/campaigns/behind-brands" target="_blank">Behind the Brands</a>” scorecard gives General Mills a very low score for its treatment of farmers. Although the company supports farmers through programs, it apparently “doesn’t know the number of small-scale producers in its supply chain – and doesn’t ask suppliers to protect farmers’ rights.”</p> <p> </p> <p>Similarly, in China, <a href="http://www.pepsico.com/Purpose/Environmental-Sustainability/Agriculture" target="_blank">PepsiCo</a> operates a handful of demonstration farms that teach cutting-edge crop management, irrigation and fertilization techniques. The purpose of these farms, as part of the company’s Sustainable Farm Initiative, is to help spread these advanced practices across China’s agricultural sector to improve yields and profitability for farmers. <a href="http://www.mars.com/global/brands/cocoa-sustainability/cocoa-sustainability-approach/technology.aspx" target="_blank">Mars</a> is also setting up training centers. Cocoa Development Centers in cocoa-producing regions, as well as Village Cocoa Centers in local communities, train farmers on ways to improve profitability and incorporate sustainable practices.</p> <p> </p> <p>Direct investment extends to access to technology as well. Earlier this year, <a href="http://www.environmentalleader.com/2014/01/23/pepsico-unilever-launch-sustainable-agricultural-tool/" target="_blank">PepsiCo</a>, along with corporate partners Unilever and Heineken, launched an online tool that will help individual farmers assess and modify their greenhouse gas emissions. The tool is free for farmers but comes with a fee for suppliers. </p> <p> </p> <p>***</p> <p> </p> <p>These initiatives are not a panacea for violations of environmental and social rights by corporations. And to make real progress here management must listen and respond to the communities they seek to serve. Many companies, however, are paying attention to criticism about their environmental and social impacts and aligning with sound practices that extend into the communities impacted by their businesses.</p> <p> </p> <p>If implemented with input from multiple stakeholders, companies can prevent violations from occurring in the first place. The more work done up front to demonstrate compliance with sustainability goals (or “knowing and showing”), the less time critics will spend “naming and shaming” these companies. And fewer resources will be allocated to remedying situations that could have been avoided with sound, prospective sustainability policies.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Author Bio:</strong><br /> <em>Annie Castellani is a contributing writer at</em> Highbrow Magazine.</p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/sustainability" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">sustainability</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/farming" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">farming</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/green-initiatives" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">green initiatives</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/corporate-responsibility" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">corporate responsibility</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/coca-cola" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Coca Cola</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/general-mills" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">general mills</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/kelloggs" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">kellogg&#039;s</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/mars" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">mars</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/water-use" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">water use</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/cultivation" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">cultivation</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/crops" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">crops</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Annie Castellani</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-photographer field-type-text field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Photographer:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Wikipedia Commons; Geralt (Pixabay); Google Images</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Out Slider</div></div></div> Thu, 10 Apr 2014 14:32:11 +0000 tara 4569 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/3896-sustainable-agriculture-meets-big-business#comments Mexico Considers a Soda Tax https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/2873-mexico-considers-soda-tax <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/news-features" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">News &amp; Features</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Tue, 10/08/2013 - 10:36</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/2mediumsoda%20%28kuyman%20Flickr%29.jpg?itok=oxDqxAYD"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/2mediumsoda%20%28kuyman%20Flickr%29.jpg?itok=oxDqxAYD" width="480" height="312" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p> From RichmondPulse/<a href="http://newamericamedia.org/2013/10/as-obesity-grows-mexico-eyes-richmond-style-soda-tax.php">New America Media</a>:</p> <p>  </p> <p> MEXICO CITY – A proposed citywide “soda tax” failed to win enough votes in Richmond, Calif. in 2012, but that hasn’t stopped other U.S. cities, and even foreign nations, from taking notice of the concept. Last month, elected officials in Mexico announced their intent to become the first nation in the Americas to impose a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages – and they are looking to Richmond for help.</p> <p>  </p> <p> Former Richmond councilmember and architect of Richmond’s soda tax, Dr. Jeff Ritterman, traveled to Mexico City in late September to discuss the health impacts of soda overconsumption and share lessons learned from the campaign. His visit was hosted by El Poder del Consumidor (Consumer Power), a watchdog group in Mexico.</p> <p>  </p> <p> That a soda tax could actually happen in Mexico is both logical and astonishing, for the simple fact that no other country consumes more soda per capita than Mexico where Coca-Cola is king and where, more recently, obesity has become a national epidemic.</p> <p>  </p> <p> “The principal objective of the soda tax is to reduce the consumption of soda by Mexicans because of the risks of health, and second to reduce the rate of diabetes,” said Isaías Cortés Berumen, president of Mexico's health commission, who met with Dr. Ritterman.</p> <p>  </p> <p> According to a 2013 United Nations report, 32.8 percent of people in Mexico, a country of 112 million, are now obese, a rate higher than that of any other nation with a population exceeding 100 million. On average, Mexicans consume 163 liters of soda per person, per year, making Mexico the number-one consumer of soda in the world, per capita.</p> <p>  </p> <p> Adding a layer of political intrigue is the cozy relationship that has existed between the Mexican government and soda industry. Coca Cola in particular has operated plants in Mexico since the 1920’s and has been the most popular soda brand there for years. Vicente Fox, before he was Mexico’s president (2000-2006), was the president of Coca Cola Mexico.</p> <p>  </p> <p> Due in no small part to Mexico’s shockingly high obesity and diabetes rates – 10.8 percent of Mexicans suffer from diabetes, tops among the 34 countries monitored by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) -- Richmond’s soda tax campaign garnered the attention of Mexican public heath advocates. In early September, President Enrique Peña Nieto announced his plans to include a one-peso per liter (or roughly 8-cents per liter) tax on sugar-sweetened drinks as part of a larger fiscal reform package. The Mexican legislature is scheduled to vote on whether to approve or reject the soda tax on October 20. It has until then to determine the final figure for the tax.</p> <p>  </p> <p> Although Peña-Nieto’s tax is being sold as an economic reform, health advocates have been quick to suggest that the revenue generated from such a tax should be directed toward solving some of Mexico’s fundamental health challenges.</p> <p> <img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/mediummexicanpresident%20%28NAM%29_0.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 335px;" /></p> <p> One such health advocacy group, Alianza Por La Salud Alimentaria (Nutritional Health Alliance) is pushing for the soda tax revenue (estimated at 2 billion pesos) to be used to improve Mexicans’ access to drinking water – it has been suggested that lack of access to clean water is one reason why many Mexicans drink soda -- and education around the health repercussions of soda consumption.</p> <p>  </p> <p> Alejandro Calvillo, executive director of El Poder del Consumidor, says the soda tax is a good start, but won’t mean much if not paired with an expansion of Mexico’s filtered water system. “The deterioration of hydration has its base in water,” says Calvillo. “Water has been substituted by soda. The tax has to decrease soda consumption but also facilitate drinking water.”</p> <p>  </p> <p> Not surprisingly, the emergent discourse around health and soda in Mexico has set off an advertising war. Anti-soda billboards, commercials and signage detailing the sugar content of drinks -- 12 tablespoons of sugar in each soda bottle -- stand side by side with Coca Cola advertisements promoting their product as a family unifier. And Sidral Mundret, the maker of a popular apple soda beverage in Mexico, has published ads promoting their product as natural, even healthy.</p> <p>  </p> <p> Soda overconsumption is not solely responsible for the climbing rates of obesity and related diseases in Mexico or elsewhere, yet health experts have identified sugar-sweetened drinks as a leading cause. Kelly Brownell, an obesity specialist at Duke University, recently told Reuters that "the strongest scientific link between any category of food and obesity is with sugared beverages.”</p> <p> <img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/3mediumsoda%20%28SeeMdTN.com%20Flickr%29.jpg" style="width: 650px; height: 445px;" /></p> <p> Other factors cited as contributing to Mexico’s skyrocketing obesity rate include increased availability of processed foods in stores and at American restaurant chains, Mexican food that is traditionally high in fats and calories, and an increasingly sedentary, urban population.</p> <p>  </p> <p> During a press briefing with Mexican media, Dr. Ritterman discussed the science of how sugar affects the body, and gave his response to the criticism that a soda tax would hurt poor people the most, an argument Ritterman is more than familiar with from his time campaigning for Measure N in Richmond, a city with a large population of low-income Latinos and African Americans.</p> <p>  </p> <p> “For a poor person the tax is regressive, but diabetes is even more regressive,” said Ritterman, who reminded those present that poor people, in Richmond and in Mexico, are far more likely to be obese and suffer from diabetes, heart disease, or other illnesses related to unhealthy, sugar-heavy diets.</p> <p>  </p> <p> “The tax is only one aspect of reducing childhood obesity,” added Ritterman. “At the same time, let’s be talking about how we increase drinking water and get hydration stations in all our schools.”</p> <p>  </p> <p> Outside, on the streets of Mexico City, the soda industry’s presence is visible everywhere. At one food stand in Mercado Coyoacán, all the banners, stools, aprons, chef’s hats, and even napkin holders, bear the red-and-white Coca-Cola logo. One food stand manager, Cynthia, said she disagrees with the soda tax plan, on the grounds that what people put in their body is a matter of personal responsibility.</p> <p>  </p> <p> “The Mexican government is only trying to make money wherever they can, and it’s precisely because we are the main consumers of soda,” she said. “(Eating healthy) is a matter of education, a matter of the home, and that’s where it should be directed.”</p> <p>  </p> <p> Cynthia said she doesn’t think the soda tax, if approved, will affect her business, since her stand already sells the coke at 10 pesos, which is well below the norm of 13 or even 18 pesos. Her increase in price would still be below the norm. Proponents of Mexico’s soda tax have agreed, saying that the one peso per liter tax is not enough to curb consumers from buying soda products.</p> <p>  </p> <p> RichmondPulse/<a href="http://newamericamedia.org/2013/10/as-obesity-grows-mexico-eyes-richmond-style-soda-tax.php">New America Media</a></p> <p>  </p> <p> <em><strong>Photos: Kuyman (Flickr); New America Media; SeeMDTN.com (Flickr).</strong></em></p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/soda" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">soda</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/soda-tax" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">soda tax</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/mexico" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Mexico</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/richmond" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">richmond</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/california" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">California</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/coca-cola" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Coca Cola</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/pepsi" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">pepsi</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/soda-drinks" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">soda drinks</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/sugar" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">sugar</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/sugary-drinks" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">sugary drinks</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/banning-soda" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">banning soda</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Edgardo Cervano-Soto</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-photographer field-type-text field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Photographer:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Kuyman (Flickr)</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Out Slider</div></div></div> Tue, 08 Oct 2013 14:36:33 +0000 tara 3638 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/2873-mexico-considers-soda-tax#comments PepsiCo.’s Donation to Media Organization Raises Questions About Ethics https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/1484-pepsico-s-donation-media-organization-raises-questions-about-ethics <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/news-features" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">News &amp; Features</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Wed, 08/22/2012 - 17:39</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/mediumPepsi.jpg?itok=yxC97Dki"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/mediumPepsi.jpg?itok=yxC97Dki" width="480" height="268" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>  </p> <p> From <a href="http://newamericamedia.org/2012/08/what-is-pepsico-buying-with-donations-to-communities-of-color.php">New America Media</a>:</p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>Op-Ed</strong></p> <p>  </p> <p> When I heard recently that the National Association of Hispanic Journalists had accepted $100,000 from PepsiCo, with half of the money going toward scholarships and internships for journalism students, I was taken back to 1988 and a smoke-filled hotel conference room in Washington D.C.</p> <p>  </p> <p> I had just been elected to NAHJ's board of directors, and we were debating whether or not to accept a sizeable contribution from tobacco giant Philip Morris.</p> <p>  </p> <p> "I don't have any problems with Philip Morris," I remember a fellow board member saying after she took a deep drag from her cigarette, clearly ignoring the irony.</p> <p>  </p> <p> I said something about it not being a good idea while puffing on a Benson &amp; Hedges Deluxe Ultra Light Menthol 100. Several of us were smoking while we discussed the subject.</p> <p>  </p> <p> Like tobacco use, rising consumption of sugary drinks has become a major public health concern. Studies show that soda, sports drinks and other high-calorie beverages are major contributors to obesity and related illnesses including diabetes and heart disease (research shows diet drinks aren't all that good for you either).</p> <p>  </p> <p> And like the tobacco industry, soft drink companies target young people and communities of color -- groups that suffer the highest rates of obesity-related diseases.</p> <p>  </p> <p> I don't know whether anyone on the NAHJ board or staff pointed out the parallels between the generous Philip Morris and PepsiCo gifts. Or whether there was even any debate about accepting the money. These are tough times, especially for the journalism industry.</p> <p>  </p> <p> Yet, just like taking money from tobacco, accepting funding from the soda industry can put organizations like NAHJ on a slippery slope, with the potential to risk their values, integrity and public trust.</p> <p>  </p> <p> There are other parallels between tobacco and soda, as highlighted in a June 19 <a href="http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1001241#aff2">report</a> by Berkeley Media Studies Group and the Public Health Advocacy Institute, "Soda and Tobacco Industry Corporate Social Responsibility Campaigns: How Do They Compare?"</p> <p>  </p> <p> "Because sugary beverages are implicated in the national as well as global obesity crisis, soda manufacturers have recently employed elaborate, expensive, multinational corporate social responsibility campaigns [that] echo the tobacco industry's use of such campaigns as a way to focus responsibility on consumers rather than on the corporations," the study noted.</p> <p>  </p> <p> These campaigns also seek to bolster the popularity of soda companies and their products and prevent regulation (meanwhile employing <a href="http://corporationsandhealth.org/2012/08/08/more-on-new-york-city-soda-limits-proposal/">tobacco industry tactics</a> in aggressively fighting policy proposals such as soda taxes and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's controversial measure to limit sugary drink portion sizes).</p> <p>  </p> <p> In a press release, PepsiCo announced that the NAHJ contribution was part of La Promesa [The Promise] of PepsiCo, a corporate social responsibility campaign "that focuses specifically on Latino empowerment and the issues that matter most to Hispanics including Latino education, employment opportunities, promoting active lifestyles, and investing in science to develop healthier products."</p> <p>  </p> <p> As part of its "Promesa," PepsiCo also made significant contributions to other national Latino organizations including the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute and historic civil rights groups League of United Latin American Citizens and National Council of La Raza.</p> <p>  </p> <p> One only has to watch the latest TV commercial by the American Beverage Association, which represents PepsiCo and Coca-Cola, to see that they are doing everything they can to convince the public -- and their shareholders -- of their corporate social responsibility.</p> <p>  </p> <p> Titled <a href="http://www.ameribev.org/news--media/videos--multimedia/22/">"We're Delivering,"</a> the ad touts the beverage industry's role in addressing the nation's obesity crisis (without really saying so): "For our families, our neighbors and our communities, America's beverage companies have created a wide range of new choices, developing smaller portion sizes, and more low and no-calorie beverages. Adding clearer calorie labels so you know exactly what you're choosing. And in schools, replacing full-calorie soft drinks with lower calorie options."</p> <p>  </p> <p> The problem is that despite the fact that beverage companies in the U.S. spent nearly a half-billion dollars in 2006 to market directly to children, and each year, youth are exposed to hundreds of TV and digital ads, the beverage industry aggressively rejects claims that its products and marketing practices play any role in the obesity epidemic.</p> <p>  </p> <p> The beverage industry says it's about consumers making poor choices and not increasing their level of physical activity, yet ignores the context in which those decisions are made. It is disingenuous and deceptive to deny the contribution sugary drinks make to the obesity epidemic. It fails to recognize the collaboration it will take between industry, government and consumers to solve the obesity crisis.</p> <p>  </p> <p> Meanwhile, the question remains: Should influential organizations representing the media, elected officials and civil rights advocates receive financial support from soda if it means not holding the industry accountable for its part in the obesity problem as well as the solution?</p> <p>  </p> <p> I know that if I were back on the board of NAHJ, an organization I am proudly a lifetime member of, I would at least put it up for discussion -- admittedly between sips of Diet Coke.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>Author Bio:</strong></p> <p> <em>Fernando Quintero provides media advocacy training and strategic consultation for Berkeley Media Studies Group. He is a former print journalist and has also served as a communications strategist for the University of California, Berkeley and several nonprofit groups.</em></p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/pepsico" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">PepsiCo</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/national-association-hispanic-journalists" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">National Association of Hispanic Journalists</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/soda" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">soda</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/obesity" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">obesity</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tobacco-industry" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">tobacco industry</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/philip-morris" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Philip Morris</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/coca-cola" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Coca Cola</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/diet-coke" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">diet coke</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/minorities" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">minorities</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Fernando Quintero</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-photographer field-type-text field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Photographer:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">New America Media</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Out Slider</div></div></div> Wed, 22 Aug 2012 21:39:56 +0000 tara 1438 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/1484-pepsico-s-donation-media-organization-raises-questions-about-ethics#comments Major Backers Shy Away From Conservative Nonprofit ALEC in Wake of Trayvon Martin Tragedy https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/1102-major-backers-shy-away-conservative-nonprofit-alec-wake-trayvon-martin-tragedy <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/news-features" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">News &amp; Features</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Tue, 04/17/2012 - 19:40</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/mediumALEC.jpg?itok=AcYC-FQt"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/mediumALEC.jpg?itok=AcYC-FQt" width="480" height="268" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>  </p> <p> From <a href="http://newamericamedia.org/news/">New America Media</a> and <a href="http://univisionnews.tumblr.com/post/20985114689/exodus-corporate-support-shines-light-conservative-group">Univision News</a>:</p> <p>  </p> <p> A swift exodus of corporate support from the little-known, but powerful American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) has shined light on the group’s efforts to spread conservative and corporate-backed legislation to state and local governments.</p> <p>  </p> <p> Last week, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation became the latest backer to withdraw financial support for ALEC. The foundation issued a $376,000 education grant to the conservative group last year, and will pay out the balance of the grant.</p> <p>  </p> <p> The 39-year-old conservative nonprofit group has come under fire in the wake of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin’s killing. In recent years, ALEC helped spread template versions of Florida’s 2005 “Stand your ground law” to other states. Under the law, Martin’s shooter George Zimmerman initially avoided arrest since it allowed him to claim self-defense. Twenty-five other states now have similar laws on the books.</p> <p>  </p> <p> The Gates Foundation is not alone. It joins big companies like Coca-Cola, Kraft and Intuit in cutting ties with ALEC, though those other companies had an even more involved role with the group as full members.</p> <p>  </p> <p> “The Coca-Cola Company has elected to discontinue its membership with the American Legislative Exchange Council [ALEC],” the statement said.</p> <p>  </p> <p> “Our involvement with ALEC was focused on efforts to oppose discriminatory food and beverage taxes, not on issues that have no direct bearing on our business. We have a long-standing policy of only taking positions on issues that impact our company and industry.”</p> <p>  </p> <p> ALEC did not return calls or emails to Univision News but issued the following statement.</p> <p>  </p> <p> “In the end, we will always respect people who disagree with us on policy, but is simply wrong to try to score political points by taking advantage of a tragedy as great as of Trayvon Martin,” the organization said.</p> <p>  </p> <p> Rashad Robinson, the executive director of ColorofChange.org, a liberal black advocacy group, has been leading his group’s efforts to collect signatures against Zimmerman and pressure corporations to drop their support for ALEC.</p> <p>  </p> <p> “The real impact ALEC has is the weakening of our democracy. The idea that a corporation and lawmakers meet behind closed doors in Washington, D.C., and draft legislation that George Zimmerman can be use as legal defense, after he admitted shooting Trayvon Martin, is a mockery of justice.”</p> <p>  </p> <p> ALEC was a relatively unknown before the Trayvon Martin case sparked national interest.</p> <p>  </p> <p> The organization has quietly promoted controversial immigration initiatives. A model bill drafted at a 2009 ALEC conference by Arizona state Sen. Russell Pearce (R) mirrors his state’s SB 1070 crackdown law, which he also co-authored. Similar laws have passed in Alabama and South Carolina. The group has also spread voter ID laws to dozens of states.</p> <p>  </p> <p> Non-ideological organizations similar to ALEC exist, such as the National Conference of State Legislators. But ALEC’s opponents argue that the group is unique in pushing a conservative legislative agenda and is better funded by corporate backers.</p> <p>  </p> <p> Rashad says public attention should not only concentrate on these corporations, but also on the 2,000 state legislators who support the organization.</p> <p>  </p> <p> “They cannot come by day to our communities and ask us to buy their services and use their products, and then at night keep this sordid relationship with Washington organizations that do nothing to promote laws that strike our communities,” he said</p> <p>  </p> <p> The list of companies that still support ALEC financially is impressive.  It includes big names like Johnson &amp; Johnson, Pfizer, AT&amp;T, UPS, ExxonMobil, State Farm Insurance and the Koch Companies. The latter corporations are run by Charles and David Koch, who are major backers of conservative organizations nationwide.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <a href="http://newamericamedia.org/2012/04/exodus-of-corporate-support-shines-light-on-alec.php">New America Media</a></p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/american-legislative-exchange-council" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">American Legislative Exchange Council</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/alec" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">ALEC</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/bill-and-melinda-gates-foundation" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/coca-cola" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Coca Cola</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/trayvon-martin" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Trayvon Martin</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/stand-your-ground" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Stand Your Ground</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Mariana Atencio </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-photographer field-type-text field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Photographer:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">New America Media</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Out Slider</div></div></div> Tue, 17 Apr 2012 23:40:31 +0000 tara 792 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/1102-major-backers-shy-away-conservative-nonprofit-alec-wake-trayvon-martin-tragedy#comments