Coca-Cola one of top socially responsible companies in Asia
Coca-Cola Philippines was honored by the Asia Corporate Excellence and Sustainability Awards (ACES) as one of the Top Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Advocates in Asia because of their unwavering commitment to sustainable business operations in the Philippines.
The Top CSR Advocates award is presented to companies that place genuine attention to the needs and wellbeing of all its stakeholders as concretized by initiatives that focus on community engagement, environmental protection, and social empowerment.
Among the companies striving to make a difference is CocaCola, one of the world’s leading beverage giants.
In the Philippines, Coca-Cola continuously ingrains sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) in its development, focusing on the long-term and ensuring that they grow the right way as a business through various programs and initiatives that uplift communities and safeguard the environment.
The company’s most recent efforts have been toward their World Without Waste vision – a commitment to collect and recycle the equivalent of 100 percent of its product packaging by 2030.
To drive its advocacy in the Philippines, Coca-Cola has mapped out a plan to boost the waste management system in the country. In this circular economy model, its packaging goes full-circle, transformed into recycled PET bottles or other useful products.
Collection systems and recycling efforts implemented with the aid of public and private partners across multiple communities in the country, and an investment in an advanced first PET bottle recycling facility are some of the main initiatives to take its World Without Waste vision further.
Still on the path of environmental protection, the company also practices responsible water stewardship, understanding the value of water for their business and for life.
At present, the company has gone beyond its initial goal of 100 percent water replenishment to 124 percent. Its operations have cut down water consumption by 27 percent from 2014 to 2018, saving an equivalent of 5.27 billion liters of water, and have recovered, treated, and returned more than 17.5 million liters of wastewater since 2014.
Beyond its operations, CocaCola also instituted the Agos program to provide communities with access to water and protects watersheds. Through the Agos Ram Pump, a technology that elevates water to far-flung communities, around 215,000 members of 210 Agos sites in 49 provinces now have access to this valuable resource.
In Marawi, Agos was able to bring a mobile potable water plant that served more than 500,000 gallons of safe drinking water to families and students.
Community and people-centered in all that they do, CocaCola also created a program for the street-smart women who drive 90 percent of the Company’s local business – the sari-sari store owners.
Through the Sari-Sari Store Training and Access to Resources (STAR) program, these women are provided skills training, peer mentoring, and access to resources to grow their businesses. Present in 16 regions and 68 provinces, the STAR program has impacted the lives of over 150,000 women.
In an Impact Report done by the Company in 2017, it was discovered that 97% of the STARpreneurs found the training useful and 98% of them applied their learnings to their business. After the program, 65% of the trainees felt confident of their future financial stability.