The European Commission Directorate General for Health & Consumer Affairs (DG SANCO) set up in 2005 a Platform for Action on Diet, Physical Activity and Health to develop strategies to improve healthy living and eating amongst Europeans, by voluntary commitments from its members. Freshfel Europe is an active member of this Platform.
For 2007, one of Freshfel’s commitments is to draw up a Charter to increase the availability of fruit and vegetables for employees and visitors at the workplace. This commitment is also linked to the European Commission initiative to improve health in the workplace and promote healthy and balanced food choices.
A wealth of scientific studies indicates that fruit and vegetables are important components of a healthy diet and their sufficient daily consumption could help counter obesity and overweight, and prevent major related diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases and certain cancers. Currently, daily consumption across Europe is on average half of the WHO’s recommendation of 400g per adult per day.
How can I collaborate?
We invite all companies and associations to endorse the Freshfel Charter, and help your employees and visitors to make better, healthier snack choices by providing fruit and vegetables for them to enjoy. Hence, we invite you to sign and add your company/association logo to the attached Charter. Please print the Charter in colour and return it by mail to Freshfel Secretariat (Avenue de Broqueville 272, 1200 Brussels, Belgium), who will endorse it and send it back to you. Your undertaking will be incorporated as part of the Freshfel commitment to the Platform and will also be reported to DG SANCO.
To fulfil your commitment we recommend you to assign the responsibility to make this happen to someone in your company/association who already recognises the value of daily eating fruit and vegetables. This person can act as your “champion” and be our contact for the implementation of this initiative. Your formal commitment will encourage others, and with each commitment we have a greater chance to change positively our eating habits, and increase the sales of fruit and vegetables!
Download the charter