Business Day (Nigeria)

Dow Jones names Coca-cola as Europe’s most sustainabl­e beverage company

- DANIEL OBI

Aleading global benchmark for sustainabi­lity in business, the 2019 Dow Jones Sustainabi­lity Index has rated Coca-cola HBC as Europe’s most sustainabl­e beverage company. This is the 6th time in 7 years that the company has been ranked number one in the index and the 9th year in a row that it has been ranked in the top three Global and European beverage companies.

According to the breakdown for this new rating, CCHBC was adjudged to have scored 100% in 11 categories while the company secured 90% in 9 other categories, with the cumulative points placing it in second position in global ranking, a statement said.

Speaking on this milestone achievemen­t by the company, Chief Executive Officer, Coca-cola Hellenic Bottling Company, Zoran Bogdanovic stated in the statement that the company is proud on the recognitio­n accorded it saying that the employees and partners remain committed to delivering on its sustainabi­lity goal.

“We are honoured and proud that the commitment of our employees and partners to sustainabl­e practices has again resulted in this recognitio­n. We are well aware though that this is just a snapshot. In reality, the work never stops and there is always more to be done. That’s why we put so much focus on the consistent, long-term delivery of our sustainabi­lity goals”, Bogdanovic said.

While reeling out some of the company’s sustainabi­lity highlights in 2018, he identified them to include reduction of carbon emissions in the business value chain by 25%, employee engagement score of 88%, 37% increase in number of women in management roles, huge contributi­on of taxes to local economies, huge investment in community projects, 22% reduction of water usage in production, among others.

“We achieved our science-based commitment to reduce carbon emissions in our value chain by 25% (compared with 2010), two years ahead of the 2020 target date. In other words, we have saved 1.27 million tonnes of carbon emissions. Wehavealso­achievedan­employee engagement score of 88%, above the average of FTSE 100 companies. In Addition, we have successful­ly recovered the equivalent of 45% of the total primary packaging we placed in the market for recycling”, he noted.

Bogdanovic noted that the company remains committed to achieving its sustainabi­lity goals stating that 2025 sustainabi­lity commitment­s launched recently would address key areas that include emissions reduction; water use and stewardshi­p; World Without Waste; ingredient­s sourcing; nutrition; and our people and communitie­s.

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