Tag: 3BL

At the recent 2026 OECD Forum on Due Diligence in the Garment and Footwear Sector held in Paris, responsible purchasing practices, upstream due diligence, and the industry’s role came into focus.

The Cascale team was privileged to contribute this year, participating in four formal sessions.

Interim chief executive officer Harsh Saini spoke at a mainstage workshop on upstream due diligence titled “Moving Beyond Direct Business Relationships” led by the OECD Centre for Responsible Business Conduct’s garment and footwear program manager Peter Higgins, and Lauren Shields, lead of sustainability initiatives. Setting the scene for the workshop, fellow speakers included Clare Woodford, Alpine Group’s vice president of impact and sustainability and Ines Kaempfer, CEO of The Center for Child Rights and Business.

During the session, Cascale’s Saini highlighted the need for greater alignment across the sector to make due diligence workable in practice. She emphasized that focusing only on Tier-1 suppliers is insufficient and risks perpetuating fragmentation and audit fatigue for manufacturers.

“For more than 30 years we’ve been asking suppliers for more and more information, yet we keep duplicating efforts instead of coordinating them,” said Saini. “If we want due diligence to work upstream, we have to move beyond Tier-1, align expectations, and stop overburdening suppliers with fragmented requests.”

She noted that collaboration between initiatives, including Fair Wear, the Social and Labor Convergence Program (SLCP), Better Buying and others, together with shared data from tools such as the Higg Index, is essential to support upstream due diligence and credible decent-work outcomes across supply chains.

The workshop featured a discussion-style format with attendees divided into groups after initial firestarter prompts on upstream due diligence. Groups included brands, manufacturers, sustainability initiatives, and trade unions, CSOs, and policymakers.

Cascale also hosted a virtual side session drawing on insights from the Better Buying Purchasing Practices Index (BBPPI) 2025, “Sustainable Supply Chains in Turbulent Times: Regional Differences in Suppliers’ Experiences of Buyer Purchasing Practices in the Age of Tariffs.”

Katie Hess, head of product at Cascale’s Better Buying, and Orsolya Janossy, senior sustainability manager at Recover, guided the conversation. The virtual session underscored Cascale’s Better Buying data, collected confidentially from suppliers in Spring 2025. It unpacked regional challenges faced by suppliers, the impact of local contexts and business environments on buyer purchasing practices, and how buyer companies can adapt to volatility – while upholding responsible practices during turbulent times.

“This isn’t just a pricing conversation,” said Hess. “It comes down to a stability and feasibility issue. When costing isn’t realistic, it becomes a due diligence issue. Compliance and decent work are what gets squeezed first.”

“What we learned is that responsible sourcing isn’t just about auditing compliance or sourcing compliance, it’s about building a win-win sustainable partnership,” said Janossy.

She showcased a case study from Recover’s suppliers in Bangladesh, where fire safety often lags. Together, they prioritized long-term stability through shared risk management and improved grievance mechanisms and training.

In a separate virtual side session, Cascale’s Jeremy Lardeau, senior vice president of the Higg Index, moderated a discussion hosted by The Industry We Want as part of a Retailer Roundtable (RRT). Representatives from Fair Wear, retailers Zalando and Boozt, and brand member Ecco also joined the conversation. The session explored the essential and often overlooked role of third-party retailers in implementing and upholding effective Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence (HREDD). Using the RRT to foster a pre-competitive space for retailers, the session examined the role of Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives (MSIs) to share and promote best practices. Together, these efforts aim to develop aligned solutions grounded in the OECD Due Diligence for Responsible Business Conduct framework.

In addition, Gabriele Ballero, public affairs manager at Cascale participated in a multi-stakeholder roundtable co-organized by Policy Hub and SLCP, focused on the implementation of the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) in the textile sector. The discussion gathered brands, manufacturers, policymakers and civil society representatives to assess the practical implications of the Omnibus changes and priorities for upcoming guidance.

Participants emphasized that the sector is not starting from scratch and that implementation should recognize credible existing tools and initiatives rather than create parallel systems. The discussion also highlighted the need for clarity around “reasonably available information,” warning that without guidance companies may over-collect data or face legal uncertainty. Stakeholders broadly supported a progressive, risk-based approach, greater interoperability across instruments, and collaboration to address deeper tiers of the supply chain while reducing audit fatigue.

Also in attendance were Cascale’s Carolina van Loenen, director of stakeholder engagement; Orine Dsouza, senior manager, Higg Facility Tools; and Hanna Griesbeck Garcia, Manager, stakeholder engagement, EMEA. As in years past, the stakeholder engagement team played a leading role in event preparation.

At the recent 2026 OECD Forum on Due Diligence in the Garment and Footwear Sector held in Paris, responsible purchasing practices, upstream due diligence, and the industry’s role came into focus.

The Cascale team was privileged to contribute this year, participating in four formal sessions.

Interim chief executive officer Harsh Saini spoke at a mainstage workshop on upstream due diligence titled “Moving Beyond Direct Business Relationships” led by the OECD Centre for Responsible Business Conduct’s garment and footwear program manager Peter Higgins, and Lauren Shields, lead of sustainability initiatives. Setting the scene for the workshop, fellow speakers included Clare Woodford, Alpine Group’s vice president of impact and sustainability and Ines Kaempfer, CEO of The Center for Child Rights and Business.

During the session, Cascale’s Saini highlighted the need for greater alignment across the sector to make due diligence workable in practice. She emphasized that focusing only on Tier-1 suppliers is insufficient and risks perpetuating fragmentation and audit fatigue for manufacturers.

“For more than 30 years we’ve been asking suppliers for more and more information, yet we keep duplicating efforts instead of coordinating them,” said Saini. “If we want due diligence to work upstream, we have to move beyond Tier-1, align expectations, and stop overburdening suppliers with fragmented requests.”

She noted that collaboration between initiatives, including Fair Wear, the Social and Labor Convergence Program (SLCP), Better Buying and others, together with shared data from tools such as the Higg Index, is essential to support upstream due diligence and credible decent-work outcomes across supply chains.

The workshop featured a discussion-style format with attendees divided into groups after initial firestarter prompts on upstream due diligence. Groups included brands, manufacturers, sustainability initiatives, and trade unions, CSOs, and policymakers.

Cascale also hosted a virtual side session drawing on insights from the Better Buying Purchasing Practices Index (BBPPI) 2025, “Sustainable Supply Chains in Turbulent Times: Regional Differences in Suppliers’ Experiences of Buyer Purchasing Practices in the Age of Tariffs.”

Katie Hess, head of product at Cascale’s Better Buying, and Orsolya Janossy, senior sustainability manager at Recover, guided the conversation. The virtual session underscored Cascale’s Better Buying data, collected confidentially from suppliers in Spring 2025. It unpacked regional challenges faced by suppliers, the impact of local contexts and business environments on buyer purchasing practices, and how buyer companies can adapt to volatility – while upholding responsible practices during turbulent times.

“This isn’t just a pricing conversation,” said Hess. “It comes down to a stability and feasibility issue. When costing isn’t realistic, it becomes a due diligence issue. Compliance and decent work are what gets squeezed first.”

“What we learned is that responsible sourcing isn’t just about auditing compliance or sourcing compliance, it’s about building a win-win sustainable partnership,” said Janossy.

She showcased a case study from Recover’s suppliers in Bangladesh, where fire safety often lags. Together, they prioritized long-term stability through shared risk management and improved grievance mechanisms and training.

In a separate virtual side session, Cascale’s Jeremy Lardeau, senior vice president of the Higg Index, moderated a discussion hosted by The Industry We Want as part of a Retailer Roundtable (RRT). Representatives from Fair Wear, retailers Zalando and Boozt, and brand member Ecco also joined the conversation. The session explored the essential and often overlooked role of third-party retailers in implementing and upholding effective Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence (HREDD). Using the RRT to foster a pre-competitive space for retailers, the session examined the role of Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives (MSIs) to share and promote best practices. Together, these efforts aim to develop aligned solutions grounded in the OECD Due Diligence for Responsible Business Conduct framework.

In addition, Gabriele Ballero, public affairs manager at Cascale participated in a multi-stakeholder roundtable co-organized by Policy Hub and SLCP, focused on the implementation of the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) in the textile sector. The discussion gathered brands, manufacturers, policymakers and civil society representatives to assess the practical implications of the Omnibus changes and priorities for upcoming guidance.

Participants emphasized that the sector is not starting from scratch and that implementation should recognize credible existing tools and initiatives rather than create parallel systems. The discussion also highlighted the need for clarity around “reasonably available information,” warning that without guidance companies may over-collect data or face legal uncertainty. Stakeholders broadly supported a progressive, risk-based approach, greater interoperability across instruments, and collaboration to address deeper tiers of the supply chain while reducing audit fatigue.

Also in attendance were Cascale’s Carolina van Loenen, director of stakeholder engagement; Orine Dsouza, senior manager, Higg Facility Tools; and Hanna Griesbeck Garcia, Manager, stakeholder engagement, EMEA. As in years past, the stakeholder engagement team played a leading role in event preparation.

At the recent 2026 OECD Forum on Due Diligence in the Garment and Footwear Sector held in Paris, responsible purchasing practices, upstream due diligence, and the industry’s role came into focus.

The Cascale team was privileged to contribute this year, participating in four formal sessions.

Interim chief executive officer Harsh Saini spoke at a mainstage workshop on upstream due diligence titled “Moving Beyond Direct Business Relationships” led by the OECD Centre for Responsible Business Conduct’s garment and footwear program manager Peter Higgins, and Lauren Shields, lead of sustainability initiatives. Setting the scene for the workshop, fellow speakers included Clare Woodford, Alpine Group’s vice president of impact and sustainability and Ines Kaempfer, CEO of The Center for Child Rights and Business.

During the session, Cascale’s Saini highlighted the need for greater alignment across the sector to make due diligence workable in practice. She emphasized that focusing only on Tier-1 suppliers is insufficient and risks perpetuating fragmentation and audit fatigue for manufacturers.

“For more than 30 years we’ve been asking suppliers for more and more information, yet we keep duplicating efforts instead of coordinating them,” said Saini. “If we want due diligence to work upstream, we have to move beyond Tier-1, align expectations, and stop overburdening suppliers with fragmented requests.”

She noted that collaboration between initiatives, including Fair Wear, the Social and Labor Convergence Program (SLCP), Better Buying and others, together with shared data from tools such as the Higg Index, is essential to support upstream due diligence and credible decent-work outcomes across supply chains.

The workshop featured a discussion-style format with attendees divided into groups after initial firestarter prompts on upstream due diligence. Groups included brands, manufacturers, sustainability initiatives, and trade unions, CSOs, and policymakers.

Cascale also hosted a virtual side session drawing on insights from the Better Buying Purchasing Practices Index (BBPPI) 2025, “Sustainable Supply Chains in Turbulent Times: Regional Differences in Suppliers’ Experiences of Buyer Purchasing Practices in the Age of Tariffs.”

Katie Hess, head of product at Cascale’s Better Buying, and Orsolya Janossy, senior sustainability manager at Recover, guided the conversation. The virtual session underscored Cascale’s Better Buying data, collected confidentially from suppliers in Spring 2025. It unpacked regional challenges faced by suppliers, the impact of local contexts and business environments on buyer purchasing practices, and how buyer companies can adapt to volatility – while upholding responsible practices during turbulent times.

“This isn’t just a pricing conversation,” said Hess. “It comes down to a stability and feasibility issue. When costing isn’t realistic, it becomes a due diligence issue. Compliance and decent work are what gets squeezed first.”

“What we learned is that responsible sourcing isn’t just about auditing compliance or sourcing compliance, it’s about building a win-win sustainable partnership,” said Janossy.

She showcased a case study from Recover’s suppliers in Bangladesh, where fire safety often lags. Together, they prioritized long-term stability through shared risk management and improved grievance mechanisms and training.

In a separate virtual side session, Cascale’s Jeremy Lardeau, senior vice president of the Higg Index, moderated a discussion hosted by The Industry We Want as part of a Retailer Roundtable (RRT). Representatives from Fair Wear, retailers Zalando and Boozt, and brand member Ecco also joined the conversation. The session explored the essential and often overlooked role of third-party retailers in implementing and upholding effective Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence (HREDD). Using the RRT to foster a pre-competitive space for retailers, the session examined the role of Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives (MSIs) to share and promote best practices. Together, these efforts aim to develop aligned solutions grounded in the OECD Due Diligence for Responsible Business Conduct framework.

In addition, Gabriele Ballero, public affairs manager at Cascale participated in a multi-stakeholder roundtable co-organized by Policy Hub and SLCP, focused on the implementation of the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) in the textile sector. The discussion gathered brands, manufacturers, policymakers and civil society representatives to assess the practical implications of the Omnibus changes and priorities for upcoming guidance.

Participants emphasized that the sector is not starting from scratch and that implementation should recognize credible existing tools and initiatives rather than create parallel systems. The discussion also highlighted the need for clarity around “reasonably available information,” warning that without guidance companies may over-collect data or face legal uncertainty. Stakeholders broadly supported a progressive, risk-based approach, greater interoperability across instruments, and collaboration to address deeper tiers of the supply chain while reducing audit fatigue.

Also in attendance were Cascale’s Carolina van Loenen, director of stakeholder engagement; Orine Dsouza, senior manager, Higg Facility Tools; and Hanna Griesbeck Garcia, Manager, stakeholder engagement, EMEA. As in years past, the stakeholder engagement team played a leading role in event preparation.

Originally published on GoDaddy

TEMPE, Ariz., February 26, 2026 /3BL/ — GoDaddy (NYSE: GDDY) recentlyy announced an integration with Salesforce’s MuleSoft Agent Fabric that helps companies of all sizes discover AI agents and verify their identity. This helps prevent rogue agents from interacting with business systems and sensitive data.

As organizations deploy more AI agents across different platforms and teams, many lack a consistent way to confirm where an agent came from, who published it, and most importantly, whether it is trusted by the business. Without that verification, businesses often face a difficult choice: slow agentic AI adoption to manage risk or move quickly without sufficient safeguards.

GoDaddy’s Agent Name Service (ANS) registers AI agents and publishes them to the public Domain Name System (DNS), the global directory that makes the internet work.

ANS extends the use of DNS to support AI agent registration. Once an agent is registered, it becomes discoverable from any network on earth within seconds, with a verified identity linked to the owner’s domain name. Other agents and systems can look up that identity using standard DNS queries, with no special tools or access to ANS required.

How GoDaddy ANS Integrates with MuleSoft Agent Fabric

MuleSoft Agent Fabric intelligently discovers, orchestrates and governs any AI agent, regardless of where it’s built, and now MuleSoft customers can configure GoDaddy ANS as a trusted source for agent discovery. MuleSoft’s Agent Scanners pull verified agents from ANS into MuleSoft Agent Registry, where they appear for review and approval before accessing enterprise systems. From there, teams can:

• See each agent’s verification status and publisher details
• Click through to cryptographic proof of identity
• Set policies that determine which APIs and data agents can access

Read details about the integration on the MuleSoft blog.

Raising the Bar for Agent Security

“The agentic ecosystem on the open internet is exploding, so trust and identity need to keep up,” said Travis Muhlestein, chief technology officer of product and AI at GoDaddy. “This integration helps organizations verify the identity of AI agents so they can scale adoption with stronger confidence and accountability.”

“Open ecosystems have always been critical for enterprise success, and we are committed to building one where customers can safely discover and govern AI agents, regardless of where they originated,” said Andrew Comstock, SVP & GM, MuleSoft at Salesforce. “By integrating GoDaddy’s ANS with MuleSoft Agent Fabric, we’re providing the ‘digital passport’ customers need to manage agent sprawl and help ensure every agent in their catalog is authenticated and trustworthy.”

To learn more about the GoDaddy ANS, visit www.godaddy.com/ans.

About GoDaddy
GoDaddy, the world’s largest domain name registrar, helps millions of entrepreneurs globally start, grow, and scale their businesses. People come to GoDaddy to name their idea, build a website and logo, sell their products and services and accept payments. GoDaddy Airo^®, the company’s AI-powered experience, makes growing a small business faster and easier by helping them to get their idea online in minutes, drive traffic and boost sales. GoDaddy’s expert guides are available 24/7 to provide assistance. To learn more about the company, visit www.GoDaddy.com.

Source: GoDaddy Inc.

Originally published on Guiding Stars Health & Nutrition News

By Mark Kantor

The Guiding Stars algorithms, the formulas used to assign Stars to foods and beverages, were recently updated to reflect new information about nutrition science and the current landscape of food product labeling in grocery stores. The Guiding Stars Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) continually monitors new developments in nutrition and public health to determine if any changes in the algorithms are warranted. This year, after carefully reviewing federal nutrition guidance, Food and Drug Administration regulations, and nutrition science research, the SAP approved updates to four algorithms, resulting in the following key changes:

Star-Earning Yogurts

The FDA amended some of its labeling rules for yogurt in 2021. Among other things, the changes gave manufacturers the option of declaring “contains live and active cultures” (or a similar phrase) if products contain a certain minimum level of live and active bacterial cultures. In addition, the rule required yogurt labels to state “does not contain live and active cultures” if products were treated to inactivate viable microorganisms. To help shoppers identify more nutritious options in grocery stores, the SAP decided to award 1 bonus point for foods that declare “contains live and active cultures.” (Previously, only beverages could earn this credit). This bonus equates to a 1-star increase, which resulted in over 350 shelf tag changes, so shoppers will now see Stars on products such as whole milk plain yogurt and lightly sweetened yogurts, provided they don’t contain additives to limit, like artificial colors, flavors and sweeteners.

The Science: Live and active cultures in yogurt are a type of probiotic. When consumed, these “good bacteria” add to the population of microbes already found in the large intestine, or gut. This helps create a balanced and diverse gut “microbiome” – the entire community of microorganisms along with their genetic material – which is associated with such health benefits as improved digestion, a stronger immune system, reduced inflammation, and less constipation.

Addressing Food Additives

The Guiding Stars algorithms include an “additives to limit” component that considers the type and frequency of certain ingredients commonly found in highly processed foods. The “additives to limit” list includes ingredients such as artificial colors and flavors, synthetic non-nutritive sweeteners, chemical preservatives, sugar alcohols, and other additives used for such functional purposes as imparting texture and maintaining consistency. Although food additives are approved by FDA for use in certain foods at specified levels, many additives are often found in foods with poor nutritional quality, and some additives have been controversial over the years due to potential safety issues or public health concerns. The SAP monitors new research and policy issues related to food additives and considers not only their use in the U.S. but also how other countries view their safety.

To better guide consumers towards products that support good nutrition and promote health, the SAP chose to update the debit on “additives to limit” so that it is applied consistently across all the Guiding Stars algorithms. Now, all foods and beverages will receive a debit for one of these additives. Products that contain more than one additive to limit will be ineligible to earn any Stars.

The Science: For each additive included in the algorithm, there is evidence suggesting potential adverse health effects. For example, chemical preservatives like nitrates and nitrites found in cured meats can be converted to carcinogenic compounds called nitrosamines. Potassium bromate, used in baked goods to strengthen dough and help it rise, was linked to kidney and thyroid cancers and DNA damage, and was banned in several countries, including those in the European Union. The World Health Organization, based on what it considered to be limited evidence, classified the artificial sweetener aspartame as “possibly carcinogenic,” especially when consumed at very high levels. Many food additives are not necessary for producing tasty and nutritious foods or have not been shown to be effective for weight control, and they often can be replaced with less toxic ingredients.

Learn More: You can learn more about the science behind the Stars by accessing the white paper that details the Guiding Stars algorithms.

About Guiding Stars

Guiding Stars is an objective, evidence-based, nutrition guidance program that evaluates foods and beverages to make nutritious choices simple. Products that meet transparent nutrition criteria earn a 1, 2, or 3 star rating for good, better, and best nutrition. Guiding Stars can be found in more than 2,000 grocery stores, in Circana’ Attribute Marketplace, and through the Guiding Stars Food Finder app.
 

Originally published on Guiding Stars Health & Nutrition News

By Mark Kantor

The Guiding Stars algorithms, the formulas used to assign Stars to foods and beverages, were recently updated to reflect new information about nutrition science and the current landscape of food product labeling in grocery stores. The Guiding Stars Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) continually monitors new developments in nutrition and public health to determine if any changes in the algorithms are warranted. This year, after carefully reviewing federal nutrition guidance, Food and Drug Administration regulations, and nutrition science research, the SAP approved updates to four algorithms, resulting in the following key changes:

Star-Earning Yogurts

The FDA amended some of its labeling rules for yogurt in 2021. Among other things, the changes gave manufacturers the option of declaring “contains live and active cultures” (or a similar phrase) if products contain a certain minimum level of live and active bacterial cultures. In addition, the rule required yogurt labels to state “does not contain live and active cultures” if products were treated to inactivate viable microorganisms. To help shoppers identify more nutritious options in grocery stores, the SAP decided to award 1 bonus point for foods that declare “contains live and active cultures.” (Previously, only beverages could earn this credit). This bonus equates to a 1-star increase, which resulted in over 350 shelf tag changes, so shoppers will now see Stars on products such as whole milk plain yogurt and lightly sweetened yogurts, provided they don’t contain additives to limit, like artificial colors, flavors and sweeteners.

The Science: Live and active cultures in yogurt are a type of probiotic. When consumed, these “good bacteria” add to the population of microbes already found in the large intestine, or gut. This helps create a balanced and diverse gut “microbiome” – the entire community of microorganisms along with their genetic material – which is associated with such health benefits as improved digestion, a stronger immune system, reduced inflammation, and less constipation.

Addressing Food Additives

The Guiding Stars algorithms include an “additives to limit” component that considers the type and frequency of certain ingredients commonly found in highly processed foods. The “additives to limit” list includes ingredients such as artificial colors and flavors, synthetic non-nutritive sweeteners, chemical preservatives, sugar alcohols, and other additives used for such functional purposes as imparting texture and maintaining consistency. Although food additives are approved by FDA for use in certain foods at specified levels, many additives are often found in foods with poor nutritional quality, and some additives have been controversial over the years due to potential safety issues or public health concerns. The SAP monitors new research and policy issues related to food additives and considers not only their use in the U.S. but also how other countries view their safety.

To better guide consumers towards products that support good nutrition and promote health, the SAP chose to update the debit on “additives to limit” so that it is applied consistently across all the Guiding Stars algorithms. Now, all foods and beverages will receive a debit for one of these additives. Products that contain more than one additive to limit will be ineligible to earn any Stars.

The Science: For each additive included in the algorithm, there is evidence suggesting potential adverse health effects. For example, chemical preservatives like nitrates and nitrites found in cured meats can be converted to carcinogenic compounds called nitrosamines. Potassium bromate, used in baked goods to strengthen dough and help it rise, was linked to kidney and thyroid cancers and DNA damage, and was banned in several countries, including those in the European Union. The World Health Organization, based on what it considered to be limited evidence, classified the artificial sweetener aspartame as “possibly carcinogenic,” especially when consumed at very high levels. Many food additives are not necessary for producing tasty and nutritious foods or have not been shown to be effective for weight control, and they often can be replaced with less toxic ingredients.

Learn More: You can learn more about the science behind the Stars by accessing the white paper that details the Guiding Stars algorithms.

About Guiding Stars

Guiding Stars is an objective, evidence-based, nutrition guidance program that evaluates foods and beverages to make nutritious choices simple. Products that meet transparent nutrition criteria earn a 1, 2, or 3 star rating for good, better, and best nutrition. Guiding Stars can be found in more than 2,000 grocery stores, in Circana’ Attribute Marketplace, and through the Guiding Stars Food Finder app.
 

Originally published on Guiding Stars Health & Nutrition News

By Mark Kantor

The Guiding Stars algorithms, the formulas used to assign Stars to foods and beverages, were recently updated to reflect new information about nutrition science and the current landscape of food product labeling in grocery stores. The Guiding Stars Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) continually monitors new developments in nutrition and public health to determine if any changes in the algorithms are warranted. This year, after carefully reviewing federal nutrition guidance, Food and Drug Administration regulations, and nutrition science research, the SAP approved updates to four algorithms, resulting in the following key changes:

Star-Earning Yogurts

The FDA amended some of its labeling rules for yogurt in 2021. Among other things, the changes gave manufacturers the option of declaring “contains live and active cultures” (or a similar phrase) if products contain a certain minimum level of live and active bacterial cultures. In addition, the rule required yogurt labels to state “does not contain live and active cultures” if products were treated to inactivate viable microorganisms. To help shoppers identify more nutritious options in grocery stores, the SAP decided to award 1 bonus point for foods that declare “contains live and active cultures.” (Previously, only beverages could earn this credit). This bonus equates to a 1-star increase, which resulted in over 350 shelf tag changes, so shoppers will now see Stars on products such as whole milk plain yogurt and lightly sweetened yogurts, provided they don’t contain additives to limit, like artificial colors, flavors and sweeteners.

The Science: Live and active cultures in yogurt are a type of probiotic. When consumed, these “good bacteria” add to the population of microbes already found in the large intestine, or gut. This helps create a balanced and diverse gut “microbiome” – the entire community of microorganisms along with their genetic material – which is associated with such health benefits as improved digestion, a stronger immune system, reduced inflammation, and less constipation.

Addressing Food Additives

The Guiding Stars algorithms include an “additives to limit” component that considers the type and frequency of certain ingredients commonly found in highly processed foods. The “additives to limit” list includes ingredients such as artificial colors and flavors, synthetic non-nutritive sweeteners, chemical preservatives, sugar alcohols, and other additives used for such functional purposes as imparting texture and maintaining consistency. Although food additives are approved by FDA for use in certain foods at specified levels, many additives are often found in foods with poor nutritional quality, and some additives have been controversial over the years due to potential safety issues or public health concerns. The SAP monitors new research and policy issues related to food additives and considers not only their use in the U.S. but also how other countries view their safety.

To better guide consumers towards products that support good nutrition and promote health, the SAP chose to update the debit on “additives to limit” so that it is applied consistently across all the Guiding Stars algorithms. Now, all foods and beverages will receive a debit for one of these additives. Products that contain more than one additive to limit will be ineligible to earn any Stars.

The Science: For each additive included in the algorithm, there is evidence suggesting potential adverse health effects. For example, chemical preservatives like nitrates and nitrites found in cured meats can be converted to carcinogenic compounds called nitrosamines. Potassium bromate, used in baked goods to strengthen dough and help it rise, was linked to kidney and thyroid cancers and DNA damage, and was banned in several countries, including those in the European Union. The World Health Organization, based on what it considered to be limited evidence, classified the artificial sweetener aspartame as “possibly carcinogenic,” especially when consumed at very high levels. Many food additives are not necessary for producing tasty and nutritious foods or have not been shown to be effective for weight control, and they often can be replaced with less toxic ingredients.

Learn More: You can learn more about the science behind the Stars by accessing the white paper that details the Guiding Stars algorithms.

About Guiding Stars

Guiding Stars is an objective, evidence-based, nutrition guidance program that evaluates foods and beverages to make nutritious choices simple. Products that meet transparent nutrition criteria earn a 1, 2, or 3 star rating for good, better, and best nutrition. Guiding Stars can be found in more than 2,000 grocery stores, in Circana’ Attribute Marketplace, and through the Guiding Stars Food Finder app.
 

Being proud of what you do and how you impact the world through your work is a powerful feeling. Just ask Andreas Faber, Product Manager with Saint-Gobain North America. Ever since watching a rocket take off in Cape Canaveral as a kid, he has been passionate about aerospace, and today has a career directly involved in this important industry!

Saint-Gobain is an industry leader with thousands of talented team members who are dedicated to one unified purpose: Making the World a Better Home. With more than 160 manufacturing facilities throughout the United States and Canada, there are so many robust and fulfilling career opportunities available. You’ll have the opportunity to work with colleagues from a wide range of businesses, cultures, and experiences.

About Success in the Making

Anyone can be a manufacturer! Whether you are just starting out or transitioning your career path, the manufacturing industry presents opportunities for success. Saint-Gobain North America’s Success in the Making series features the stories of team members who built their careers in manufacturing and thrived!

Watch the full Success in the Making series on YouTube.

About Saint-Gobain

Worldwide leader in light and sustainable construction, Saint-Gobain designs, manufactures and distributes materials and services for the construction and industrial markets. Its integrated solutions for the renovation of public and private buildings, light construction and the decarbonization of construction and industry are developed through a continuous innovation process and provide sustainability and performance. The Group, celebrating its 360th anniversary in 2025, remains more committed than ever to its purpose “MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER HOME”.

€46.6 billion in sales in 2024
More than 161,000 employees, locations in 80 countries
Committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050

Being proud of what you do and how you impact the world through your work is a powerful feeling. Just ask Andreas Faber, Product Manager with Saint-Gobain North America. Ever since watching a rocket take off in Cape Canaveral as a kid, he has been passionate about aerospace, and today has a career directly involved in this important industry!

Saint-Gobain is an industry leader with thousands of talented team members who are dedicated to one unified purpose: Making the World a Better Home. With more than 160 manufacturing facilities throughout the United States and Canada, there are so many robust and fulfilling career opportunities available. You’ll have the opportunity to work with colleagues from a wide range of businesses, cultures, and experiences.

About Success in the Making

Anyone can be a manufacturer! Whether you are just starting out or transitioning your career path, the manufacturing industry presents opportunities for success. Saint-Gobain North America’s Success in the Making series features the stories of team members who built their careers in manufacturing and thrived!

Watch the full Success in the Making series on YouTube.

About Saint-Gobain

Worldwide leader in light and sustainable construction, Saint-Gobain designs, manufactures and distributes materials and services for the construction and industrial markets. Its integrated solutions for the renovation of public and private buildings, light construction and the decarbonization of construction and industry are developed through a continuous innovation process and provide sustainability and performance. The Group, celebrating its 360th anniversary in 2025, remains more committed than ever to its purpose “MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER HOME”.

€46.6 billion in sales in 2024
More than 161,000 employees, locations in 80 countries
Committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050

Being proud of what you do and how you impact the world through your work is a powerful feeling. Just ask Andreas Faber, Product Manager with Saint-Gobain North America. Ever since watching a rocket take off in Cape Canaveral as a kid, he has been passionate about aerospace, and today has a career directly involved in this important industry!

Saint-Gobain is an industry leader with thousands of talented team members who are dedicated to one unified purpose: Making the World a Better Home. With more than 160 manufacturing facilities throughout the United States and Canada, there are so many robust and fulfilling career opportunities available. You’ll have the opportunity to work with colleagues from a wide range of businesses, cultures, and experiences.

About Success in the Making

Anyone can be a manufacturer! Whether you are just starting out or transitioning your career path, the manufacturing industry presents opportunities for success. Saint-Gobain North America’s Success in the Making series features the stories of team members who built their careers in manufacturing and thrived!

Watch the full Success in the Making series on YouTube.

About Saint-Gobain

Worldwide leader in light and sustainable construction, Saint-Gobain designs, manufactures and distributes materials and services for the construction and industrial markets. Its integrated solutions for the renovation of public and private buildings, light construction and the decarbonization of construction and industry are developed through a continuous innovation process and provide sustainability and performance. The Group, celebrating its 360th anniversary in 2025, remains more committed than ever to its purpose “MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER HOME”.

€46.6 billion in sales in 2024
More than 161,000 employees, locations in 80 countries
Committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050