Big Food and Soda has a big sway over everything from what our children eat at school to whether essential workers get paid sick leave to how the world's food systems can withstand a pandemic. On all these fronts, we have seen an abysmal record of Big Food and Soda. And despite such massive influence on the world's public health and nutrition, we can see very little of what the industry is spending to steer public policy and politics.

Corporations like Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and McDonald’s boast about how their business operations span the globe. In fact, they generate some of their highest revenues from international operations.

But outside of the U.S., they hardly disclose any information on how they are attempting to influence policy, lobby governments, spend on political campaigns, fund research and charity, or finance trade associations and groups that are pushing the industry’s interests. All of these activities deeply influence politics of public health, food, agriculture, and nutrition policies, but also human rights, labor rights, and environmental justice.

That is why we are calling on the world’s largest food and beverage corporations -- starting with soda giants Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, and the biggest fast-food chain, Mcdonald's -- to open their books on their global political spending and activities

Transparency is the first step toward curbing such toxic corporate influence. At the very least, these corporations should level with the shareholders and the public about these activities. Having to do so will make these corporations think twice about bankrolling, for instance, public officials that are assailing voting rights, consumer and children’s rights, abortion rights, and climate action.

And this spring, some of the most aggressive corporations in global politics are facing shareholder votes that would compel them to open their books…do so globally…and on everything they spend to subvert human rights, public health, politics, and environmental policy.

Add your voice to the shareholders calling for McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, and PepsiCo to get their political spending out of the shadows. Our food systems demand sunlight from the field to the board rooms.