The WHO Global Alcohol
Strategy: What Role for Industry?
Jim Finkle
FIVS President
Istanbul, Turkey
14 June 2012
A challenging external environment
Ongoing attempts to exclude industry (conflict of
interest)
Intensification of efforts to discredit industry
Unjustified criticisms of marketing and self-regulation
Old battles on new fronts – UN/NCDs, OECD and
WHO Regions
WHO promoting favoured policies (‘best buys’ and
reduction in consumption targets)
Industry contribution – specific, targets, measurable
NGOs getting better organised and more professional
Tobacco-style framework convention on alcohol
Current Issues and Priorities
‘Best buys’ policies (high taxes, bans on advertising,
restrictions on availability)
NCD targets and indicators – 10% reduction in
consumption
Global NCD Action Plan 2013-2020
WHO progress report of Global Alcohol Strategy –
2013
Alcohol Producers’ Commitments
63rd World Health Assembly
adopts resolution
WHA63.13
Global strategy to
reduce the harmful
use of alcohol
WHO Global Alcohol Strategy
Adopted by World Health Assembly 2010
Non-binding guidance to Member State governments
Menu of options v ‘one-size fits all’
Focused on ‘harmful use’ v consumption per se
Role for industry and other stakeholders
Implementation at regional and national level
WHO Global Strategy – target areas
Leadership, awareness and commitment
Health services’ response
Community action
Drink–driving policies and countermeasures
Availability of alcohol
Marketing of alcoholic beverages
Pricing policies
Reducing the negative consequences of drinking and
alcohol intoxication
Reducing the public health impact of illicit alcohol and
informally produced alcohol
Monitoring and surveillance
WHO Global Strategy – role for
industry
45. Action by WHO and other international partners to
support the implementation of the global strategy will be
taken according to their mandates.
(d) Economic operators in alcohol production and trade
are important players in their role as developers,
distributors, marketers and sellers of alcoholic
beverages. They are especially encouraged to consider
effective ways to prevent and reduce harmful use of
alcohol within their core roles mentioned above,
including self-regulatory actions and initiatives. They
could also contribute by making available data on sales
and consumption of alcohol beverages.
The OECD Alcohol Policy
Project
STUDY 1
Review of individual-level
alcohol consumption
patterns
STUDY 2
Health and economic
impacts of alcohol
control policies
Investigation of overall
consumption and high-risk
drinking behaviours
Collaboration with
WHO, Statistics
Canada, and others
Differences in alcohol
consumption across age and
social groups
Link between alcohol
consumption and
disease
What industry can do
Demonstrate initiative and active engagement
Implement programs at national level
Encourage and support initiatives where they are
currently absent or weak
Build partnerships and collaborations within industry,
with governmental bodies, and community organizations
Implement sustainable and culturally appropriate
measures
Evaluate initiative outcomes and impact
Areas for industry
engagement
Traditional areas
Underage drinking
Drinking and driving
Consumer information
Alcohol education
Server training
New opportunities
Production
Distribution
Availability
Price
Marketing
Targeted Interventions
Partnerships
Working Together
Many common interests and common goals
Some common membership
Experience of working together to achieve
positive results, e.g., WHO Global Strategy
Identify key issues and share perspectives when
needed
Align positions and reach out to priority Member
States for engagement
Industry Actors
GAPG
Global
Alcohol
Producers
Group
Social Aspects Organisations
(e.g. Century Council)
FIVS’ Role vis-a-vis the international
community
Working with those heavily involved in this area and reporting
to membership
Monitoring mechanism for ongoing and new industry
initiatives (company, sector, cross-sector)
Reporting at conferences and meetings developments and
progress made by industry members
Individual companies and trade associations encouraged to
use existing channels to communicate with the governments
of Member States with which they have close relations
The Future?
Tobacco Treaty provisions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Complete ban on all forms of advertising, promotion and
sponsorship.
Health warnings on packaging that cover at least 30% (but
preferably more than 50%) of all principal display areas.
Ban on use of so-called “deceptive terms” such as “light” or
“mild”.
Regular increases in taxes to ensure that price of products
increase by at least 5% over inflation every year.
Exclusion of industry representatives from all treaty
negotiations.
Countries encouraged to take legal action against industry.