8 December, 2023
The ILSI community has a lot to celebrate. From the 25 scientific articles published so far over the course of 2023 to our upcoming Annual Meeting and Science Symposium next month, ILSI has been working hard to advance emerging science and groundbreaking research to improve planetary and human health and well-being. In addition, ILSI has made organizational decisions to further safeguard the integrity of scientific research. Provided below are some important updates from ILSI.
ILSI has evolved tremendously in its 45-year history, most notably, over the last several years. ILSI is a global, nonprofit federation of 10 entities that convene scientists at the forefront of precompetitive research on nutrition, food safety and sustainability, and operate within a framework of the highest principles of scientific integrity. ILSI's trusted experts and volunteers around the world work synergistically and transparently across academia and the public and private sectors. So far, over the course of 2023, ILSI has hosted 63 workshops, conferences and scientific meetings. Many ILSI events are recorded and made publicly accessible. Between January and early December 2023, ILSI has had nearly 32,300 science video views on YouTube.
Regarding transparency, ILSI Global earned the 2022 and 2023 Platinum Seals of Transparency from Candid - the world’s largest database of nonprofit organizations. ILSI Europe is listed on the European Union's Transparency Register. And ILSI Mesoamerica is certified by the Costa Rican government as an organization of public interest.
In addition, ILSI’s scientific integrity is above reproach. ILSI created guiding principles to govern how it funds and conducts research, addresses collaboration, scientific integrity, and transparency. These guidelines have been: Endorsed in the past by professional nutrition and food science societies; Published in leading peer-reviewed, scientific journals to validate them and ensure awareness; Cited in numerous other scientific articles and publications; Embedded into ILSI policies and procedures.
Finally, ILSI always works in the interest of science and for the benefit of the public. ILSI’s Mandatory Policies expressly prohibit ILSI entities from lobbying, conducting lobbying activities, making policy recommendations, and advocating for the commercial interests of their member companies or other parties. Also, ILSI believes – and proves – that credibility of science is judged on the merits of study design, methodology, and validity of the conclusions – not funding. ILSI has published 1,000+ scientific articles worldwide in veritable, rigorous peer-reviewed publications over the 45 years since its inception and not a single paper has been retracted. It is rare for any organization to make this claim. Moreover, the ILSI Federation continuously evaluates any conflicts of interest and certifies that, if found, they get resolved – ensuring that research remains independent of any companies that may contribute to a funding pool for precompetitive research activities.
ILSI values scientific integrity and believes it is essential to develop sound science that benefits society. Researchers from academia and the public and private sectors can and should work together on science and health issues of common interest or concern. ILSI’s public-private collaboration – where all interests are declared, and all funding is acknowledged – can improve the science used to promote the health and safety of the public and the environment. These kinds of multi-sectoral approaches are helping to solve today’s greatest health challenges, including COVID-19 and beyond.
ILSI Global is proud to conclude this 45th anniversary year for ILSI, and we can’t wait to see what’s on the horizon at the Annual Meeting and in the years to come.
