Ultra-processed food producers are key actors in a complex global network of influence groups where they exert disproportionate power on global food policy and nutrition policy, according to a new paper in Agriculture and Human Values.
Calls for transforming global food governance from a corporate-dominated model to a “multi-stakeholder” model — led by organizations like the World Economic Forum (WEF) — has led to the proliferation of multi-stakeholder institution initiatives, partnerships, platforms and roundtables largely responsible for instituting new global “solutions” to agricultural problems.
These multi-stakeholder initiatives are based on a vision promoted by Klaus Schwab — that private corporations are key “stakeholders” that should play a leading role in sustainable development and be positioned as “trustees of society,” the authors wrote.
As a result, most prominent and powerful multi-stakeholder institutions are largely led by board members from ultra-processed food producers, retailers and business associations, the study found.
