Center for Science in the Public Interest

What it reported doing in 2024

Special projects - includes efforts to provide public information on nutrition and diet, provide consumer input on nutrition and food safety laws and regulations, investigate accuracy of food and beverage advertising and labeling, promote healthier menu items in restaurants.-promote increased production and availability of food that is free of unsafe ingredients by working with food producers and retailers. Monitoring and investigating proposed and approved additives to food safety, particularly for meat, poultry, and seafood.- promote increased protection from ordinary contamination with microbes through increased appropriations for inspections of imported and domestic foods and food manufacturing facilities. Promotion of policies intended to reduce anti-microbial resistance.- improve the diet of children by promoting more nutritious school foods through publications, seminars, and public policy efforts. Encourage food producers to improve the nutrient content of the products sold in schools and restaurants and discourage the advertising of unhealthy foods to children. - improve human health and the environment by promoting the consumption of a more plant-based diet and reducing the consumption of meat, milk, fat and other products that have been linked to cancer, heart disease, and other health problems. Reduce consumption of sodium to healthy levels.- promote changes in the american food supply and in food policies through the litigation process. - improve the public's ability to make informed decisions about nutrition through, for example, nutrition facts labels and menu labeling.- identify and publicize links between industry and science in matters related to health, food, and environmental research. Examine how the demands of industry may undermine the public-interest mission of science and secure a balance of view in the science policy decision making process which, combined with full disclosure will enable scientists to provide the public, media, and policy makers with the best advice about scientific issues. - enhance the safety and effectiveness of medical products such as drugs, vaccines, and laboratory tests by advocating for transparency and rigor in product review. - assess scientific concerns about the risks and benefits of genetically engineered plants, animals, and other organisms used in agriculture. Inform the public about the benefits and risks of engineered crops and foods. Strengthen the regulatory system and increase public funding for research on both genetic engineering and sustainable agriculture.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
• Program expense ratio: 84.5%; rating input score 84
• Fundraising efficiency: $5.15 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 21; 21st percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 92.9%; rating input score 93; 10th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
  • Compensation committee: Pass
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 97.1%; rating input score 97; 27th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Yes; rating input score 100

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 66th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -42.4%; rating input score 2; 2nd percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.32; rating input score 67; 67th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.24; rating input score 53; 53rd percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 10.2%; rating input score 19; 19th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 4.6% per year; rating input score 100; 39th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 3% per year; rating input score 100; 26th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 16.6% per year; rating input score 100; 84th percentile among comparable filings