In a pivotal moment for global food systems advocacy, Less is Adequate convened a high-level Fireside Chat on June 5, 2025, bringing together global thought leaders to explore how the private sector can be held accountable to its nutrition commitments under the Paris Declaration on Business & Nutrition 2030.
Held virtually and themed “From Commitment to Action: Advancing The Paris Declaration on Business & Nutrition 2030,” the event featured insights from Greg Garrett, Executive Director of the Access to Nutrition Initiative (ATNi); Anita Bake, Head of Programmes at Less is Adequate (LIA); and Laura Trijsburg, Program Manager at the Dutch Research Council (NWO), who served as facilitator.
The discussion centered on the outcomes of the 2025 Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Summit in Paris, where international stakeholders endorsed the Paris Declaration, a framework calling for transparent, measurable private sector action to support healthier diets and sustainable food systems by 2030.
“Despite development funding cuts and declining nutrition prioritisation, the N4G Summit delivered $27 billion in new commitments from donors,” noted Greg Garrett. “Development finance banks showed up meaningfully, and for the first time, seven large institutional investors managing over $1 trillion pledged to assess the healthiness of food portfolios using government-endorsed models.”
Greg Garrett emphasised that these commitments signal a shift in how nutrition is integrated into economic and investment strategies. He described the Paris Declaration as a practical “roadmap for constructive private sector engagement,” calling for “an improved nutrition economy that incentivises healthier food environments and holds food companies accountable.”
The discussion highlighted ATNi’s recent data showing that only 34% of packaged food sales are derived from healthier products, a slight increase from 27% in 2021, but still far from the 2030 target of 50%.
“Nutrition must become core to food businesses and not just a fringe activity,” said Greg. “Companies are beginning to respond to economic incentives. For instance, S&P Global now incorporates ATNI’s metrics into their corporate sustainability assessments.”
Anita Bake complemented this view by stressing the disproportionate burden carried by small and medium enterprises (SMEs), particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
“More than 70% of food in these countries is produced by SMEs, yet they receive little investment or support,” said Bake. “LIA aims to work with these businesses to improve product portfolios and access reformulation funding.”
The chat touched on public-private partnerships that are yielding results, such as micronutrient fortification efforts in India, and vegetable production and nutrition education programs in East Africa, funded by governments and donors.
Anita Bake cited her work in Nepal, where Gates Foundation funding enabled technical support for companies reformulating complementary foods to meet WHO guidelines. However, she acknowledged significant technical barriers, including the lack of national reformulation standards and the complexity of replacing ingredients like sugar without compromising taste or texture.
Both speakers highlighted the critical role of government regulation and investment.
“Companies often look to regulation before they act,” said Anita. “Governments can incentivise healthy food production and disincentivise unhealthy ones, through taxes, subsidies, and mandatory disclosure requirements.”
Greg added, “Agricultural subsidies globally often support commodities harmful to both health and the environment. We need to flip the model, to support healthier crops and enforce responsible investing mandates.”
The panel also explored accountability mechanisms to track progress under the Paris Declaration. Greg emphasised the importance of independent monitoring, citing ATNI’s work and platforms like the Global Nutrition Report.
“Self-reporting must be paired with validation,” he said. “If we don’t track commitments, they risk becoming PR exercises with no follow-through.”
The chat concluded with a call to action across all sectors.
“A combined pressure from regulators, investors, and civil society can drive lasting change,” said Anita Bake. “We need to ensure that producing healthy food isn’t just a moral obligation but a profitable business model.”
Attendees from across sectors including government, philanthropy, academia, and advocacy left with renewed urgency and a set of actionable insights. The event concluded with a call to all stakeholders to move beyond declarations and toward concrete, measurable steps.
This Fireside Chat is part of LIA’s ongoing commitment to advancing food systems that work for all, particularly children and communities in low-resource settings.
Read the Paris Declaration Here
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For media inquiries, interviews, or partnership opportunities, please contact:
Ayooluwa Okunjolu
Advocacy & Communications Lead, LIA
mailto:ayooluwa.okunjolu@lessisadequate.com
