Global thinking
Corporate responsibility isn't just important for our businesses in Great Britain - it's a global concern. Coca-Cola Great Britain and Coca-Cola Enterprises are part of larger global companies that carry out their own corporate responsibility programmes. Here are just a few examples:
Converging on water
Since 2007, The Coca-Cola Company has been combining international strengths and resources in partnership with WWF to help conserve and protect freshwater resources throughout the world.
Water is vital to both WWF and The Coca-Cola Company. Beverages are our business and water is the main ingredient in every product we make. Safe water also is vital to the sustainability of the communities we serve. WWF's mission is to conserve nature and to protect natural resources - particularly freshwater ecosystems - for people and wildlife.
Together we plan to:
- Measurably conserve seven key watersheds
- Improve the efficiency of Coca-Cola water use
- Use water more efficiently in the our agricultural supply chain, beginning with sugarcane
- Decrease Coca-Cola's global carbon dioxide emissions and energy use
- Inspire a worldwide movement by uniting industries, nature organizations and oters in the conservation and protection of freshwater resources around the world.
Fighting poverty in Africa
Enjoying a chilled bottle of Coca-Cola used to nearly impossible in Ethiopia. Delivery trucks couldn't reach the tiny local shops and they don't have space to stock large amounts of Coca-Cola drinks.
In 1999, our Ethiopian bottler came up with a solution: micro distribution centres (MDCs). These are closer to their customers and cater for smaller orders, an approach that's increased sales revenues and provides a valuable boost to the economy.
MDC's are generally owned by local entrepreneurs, which means local communities play a part in our business and share in our success. Currently around 3% of MDCs are owned and managed by women. Since their introduction, MDCs have been a huge success.
- there are over 3,000 MDCs in East Africa employing around
13,500 people
- MDC owners and employees support an estimated 48,0000
dependents
- African MDCs generate over $500 million in annual revenue
- Over 80% of The Coca-Cola Company's business in key East African
countries goes through the MDC network.
We also have programmes in other parts of the world to help support wealth and job creation, including:
- Helping more than 4,000 small retailers to establish their businesses through Pushcarts programs in Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Laos, Cambodia and Nepal
- Micro Enterprise Development to benefit 500 low-income families - including mentoring of entrepreneurs by business leaders, access to low-interest loans and repayment formula that builds sustainable lending for the community.
- Various emerging programmes in China and the Philippines
Further information
If you're interested in our activities around the world, you can read our Sustainability Report or find out more at The Coca-Cola Company global website - www.thecoca-colacompany.com/citizenship
To learn more about Coca-Cola Enterprises' approach to corporate responsibility you could read the Coca-Cola Enterprises Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Report or visit the Coca-Cola Enterprises website - www.cokecce.com
