Case Studies

Case studies

 

WE THINK GLOBALLY BUT ACT LOCALLY. HERE ARE SOME OF OUR INITIATIVES FROM THE MARKETS IN WHICH WE OPERATE. THESE ACTIONS ALL CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS OUR SUSTAINABILITY MISSION 2025 COMMITMENTS

Greek Forest Restoration project

Coca-Cola in Greece (Coca-Cola Tria Epsilon & Coca-Cola Hellas)  completed the biggest rehabilitation project for the restoration of the fire-affected areas in Attica region.  The project included anti- erosion and anti-flood works in 7,715 acres in the area of Varympompi-Tatoi, essential for the solid protection and the natural regeneration of the forest (Natura 2000).  The rehabilitation project was  undertaken by Coca-Cola in Greece with a donation of 1.8 million Euros, after the devastating wildfires of August 2021. This initiative is linked to the company’s broader strategy against climate crisis and NetZeroby40 commitment for zero emissions by 2040 across the entire value chain.

“After the fire” - capturing the rehabilitation efforts in a short documentary. Climate crisis is the present. We don’t want it to be the future. Action is the answer. The course of the rehabilitation and nature protection works of the area was captured in a short documentary starring all those who worked for the implementation of the project:


Valser Climate Neutrality

Our VALSER mineral water in Switzerland has been re-certified as climate-neutral by Swiss Climate. VALSER produces and markets all of its beverages on a climate-neutral basis. This means that the production of VALSER mineral water does not change the atmospheric balance, thanks to various measures taken by the company.

To earn the climate neutrality certification from Swiss Climate, VALSER Mineralquellen GmbH had to lay out its climate policy and prove that it is aware of the various opportunities and risks associated with its business.

After the main sources of emissions were tracked and listed, CO2 reduction goals were defined. Unavoidable emissions must be counterbalanced by high-quality climate projects. By consistently shrinking its carbon footprint and compensating for remaining CO2 emissions, VALSER became the first mineral water in Switzerland to be declared climate neutral, back in 2018.

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Climeworks

At our VALSER mineral water plant in Switzerland, we are testing a ground-breaking new technique in collaboration with the Swiss company Climeworks. It has developed an ingenious technology called Direct Air Capture (DAC) which can capture and recycle CO2 directly from the air. This means that we can extract  CO2 from the production plant's emissions, clean it to food grade and put it to good use – in our delicious VALSER sparkling drinks.

Innovations like this are among the many ways we are working towards our 2025 Sustainability Commitments, more specifically addressing our target to reduce our direct CO2 emissions rate by 30%.

Water project in Challawa

Water is a key focus area on Coca‑Cola HBC's sustainability agenda, and water stewardship and responsible water use are at the core of our business. In keeping with our sustainability commitments, and putting these into action, the Nigerian Bottling Company Ltd (NBC) has completed the first phase of its Challawa Water Supply Project. 

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The aim is to secure water availability for local communities in Kano, North-West Nigeria. Kano is the commercial nerve centre of Northern Nigeria and it is the country's second largest city with a population of almost 10 million people. Due to the Sahelian climate of Kano State, ground water exploration is extremely difficult. Drilling shallow wells on the river banks requires special techniques and highly specialised technical experience in flood plain drilling. In collaboration with the Kano State Water Board and local communities, NBC has installed HDPE (high-density polyethylene) pipes in the area. These are flexible plastic pipes used to replace ageing concrete or steel pipelines. HDPE thermoplastic possesses a high level of impermeability and strong molecular bond which make it suitable for the high pressure required to transfer the water from the Challawa River to the production plant, where it is sanitized to drinking quality.

Mission Water project in Cyprus

Our water initiatives in Cyprus were recognised in 2019 for their impact, benefiting more than 80,000 Cyprus residents, at the Responsible Business Awards. We launched Mission Water in 2013, with funding from The Coca-Cola Foundation, in cooperation with the international organisation Global Water Partnership Mediterranean (GWP-Med). Through Mission Water, 19 water projects were undertaken, saving more than 40,000 m3 of water annually.

Recyclable paperboard instead of plastic wrap on can multipacks

We will replace plastic shrink film on can multipacks with recyclable paperboard in all European Union markets by the end of 2021. Starting in Ireland and Poland early 2020, we will roll out KeelClip™ on all can multipacks up to 8 cans. For larger packs, we will use a card wrap. 

We aim to replace plastic shrink film on can multipacks with recyclable paperboard in all European Union markets by the end of 2021. 

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Working closely with Graphic Packaging International – developer of the KeelClip™ technology – we will bring this sustainable packaging solution to market with an investment of €15 million. Not only does it replace plastic wrap, but it also minimises the amount of paper/card required. 

We are happy to be the first within the non-alcohol ready to drink industry to take this step, which brings us closer to a World Without Waste, where all packaging is collected, recycled and reused. Once all European markets are using KeelClip™, this change to paperboard will save 2,000 tonnes of plastic and 3,000 tonnes of CO2 annually. 

100% rPET

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In 2019, we have given more bottles more than one life with the launch of our 100% rPET portfolio as we work towards our sustainability commitments, as part of our World Without Waste vision, together with The Coca Cola Company. By the end of 2019 in five countries (Austria, Ireland, Switzerland, Croatia and Romania) we have introduced in total four water brands in bottles made by 100% recycled PET plastic (rPET).

Clean River Jizera

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Jizera River is one of the main water sources for our production plant in Prague. Together with hundreds of volunteers, we are restoring a wetland during the Clean River Jizera event by rerouting rainwater from the sewage system to nature. Besides, we are contributing to the irrigation system and new tree plantations. In the Broumovsko region of the Czech Republic, we are financing a project to analyse watercourses and the return of water to nature. 

In 2020, more than 1,250 volunteers, including Coca-Cola HBC employees, participated in the event. Together they collected 2 tons of trash, including 550 tires. 

Green Day Ukraine

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For 15 years in a row, we have been gathering colleagues on a so-called "Green Day" in Ukraine. Due to quarantine in 2020, we engaged in activities following strict COVID-19 health and safety guidelines

On the World Cleanup Day , more than 300 volunteers, including colleagues and their families, joined  cleanup activities in a total of  23 cities. We collected more than three tons of garbage and delivered it to a recycling facility. In addition to that, we launched "Let's sort waste at home!" — an activity encouraging people to collect their household waste and recycle it correctly.

Zero Waste Tisza River

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The Zero Waste Tisza River project in Hungary focuses on removing the block at the Kisköre hydropower dam, lifting the floatage and sorting the reusable waste. The project has been  implemented since 2019 together with the NGO “PLASTIC Cup” and  the General Directorate of Water Management.

All the waste that has been lifted from the dam over the years and collected during cleanup activities along Tisza River and Lake Tisza was sent to the winter port of Kisköre, located next to the hydropower dam, for processing. The waste remaining after processing was transported to the “Plastic CUP” depot  in Kisújszállás for sorting and baling.

Over the course of the project, with the help of 166 volunteers, we processed 65.51 tonnes of waste, including 14.72 tonnes of color-separated PET bottles, 4.44 tonnes of HDPE/LDPE/PP, 13.09 tonnes of glass, and 4.31 tonnes of metal. 

Zero waste partnership in Thessaloniki

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The long-term programme ‘Zero waste partnership in Thessaloniki’ aims to make Thessaloniki, which is the second-biggest city in Greece, the first city in the country with the potential to become a zero-waste municipality. Coca‑Cola System plans to roll out the programme to other cities in Greece and Europe with the aim of leading a movement towards a new, better way of urban living. Zero Waste Cities is a true "golden triangle" program, involving and engaging local authorities, environmental NGOs and innovation partners.

This ambitious plan of action aims to accelerate the behavioural change required to make the circular economy and recycling part of people's hearts, minds and everyday routines. The Coca‑Cola System aims to achieve this by using innovative technologies that are easily accessible and engaging for people of all ages, while at the same time identifying and addressing the infrastructure required and the barriers preventing progress.

World Cleanup Day

Hundreds of representatives from Coca‑Cola and Coca‑Cola HBC participated in coordinated cleanups on and around World Cleanup Day. 

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Girls in STEM

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As a part of our #Youth Empowered programme, Coca-Cola HBC Italy has launched the “Girls in STEM” Award to make young female students aware of all the career paths within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The Award honours five girls who have shown excellence in terms of leadership, entrepreneurial spirit and scientific ortechnological skills. In 2020, we launched the second edition of “Girls in STEM” together with the Milan City Councilor for Digitalisation and awarded the winners with a mentorship session involving some of Coca-Cola HBC female managers from manufacturing, supply chain, finance and commercial teams.

#Youth Empowered HoReCa Edition

In order to support the hard-hit hospitality and tourism sectors we re-oriented #Youth Empowered tools. In Russia, Croatia, Greece and Serbia we launched a special #YouthEmpowered HoReCa edition.  This special edition focused on the support of the HoReCa restart with trainings for the employees of our customers and digital on-the-go experiences, re-skilling and up-skilling sessions for HoReCa and tourism employees and funding scholarship programmes for talented people in the area of gastronomy and hospitality. In Romania, in partnership with The Social Incubator Association, we launched an online platform to help people who lost their job due to COVID-19 pandemic to be re-employed. 

“After Us” 

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In 2016, Coca-Cola HBC Romania launched the “After Us” programme that reflects the company’s philosophy – to do everything possible to leave behind a better world – by protecting natural environments and cultural heritage through promoting values, traditions, stories and special places in Romania.

The programme took off with The Land of Dornas, a very special place for Coca-Cola HBC, firstly because it is one of the few places in Romania where the natural environment has survived untouched, and secondly because it is the place where we source water for Dorna, Dorna Izvorul Alb and Poiana Negri brands and produce them.

Another initiative within the programme was the eco-touristic rehabilitation of the Bigar waterfall in the Caras-Severin County – the waterfall nominated as the world’s most beautiful in 2013 by World Geography. We have improved the access to the bottom of the waterfall, built pathways between the waterfall and the spring and created a pass to the Bigar Cave nearby. In addition to that, we have installed a separate waste collection infrastructure in the area. After the re-opening of the waterfall, the number of tourists doubled, resulting in economic growth for the community.

The most recent project under the “After Us” umbrella is supporting Tecșești, a village situated in the Apuseni Mountains, in the heart of Transylvania. The goal is to build a live-in museum, keeping its traditional architecture and authenticity, while researching, learning and experimenting with our ancestors’ way of life, from Neolithic times until the 20th century. Furthermore, Tecșești will become a self-sustainable village in terms of resource use.

“After Us” is communicated through an online platform aimed at inspiring as many people as possible to be aware of the importance of what they leave after themselves, to adopt a responsible lifestyle and to pass it on to future generations.

Coca‑Cola HBC CEO Zoran Bogdanovic signs LEAD CEO Pledge

The purpose of the pledge is to promote a diverse workforce where men and women in the retail and consumer goods industry in Europe can fully contribute. We strongly support this goal because we know the value that diverse teams bring to business decisions and success. We’re committed to ensuring that 50% of our manager positions are held by women by 2025 (currently 37%), and to creating an inclusive culture for all. 

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Among a host of steps already taken to make that a reality, we’re currently running a wide-ranging internal communications campaign to raise awareness and understanding of diversity and inclusion principles across our company and supporting our senior leaders through inclusive leadership development.

We know from experience that diverse teams deliver better business outcomes and we are working to ensure everyone feels they belong in Coca‑Cola HBC.

Female landowners in Belarus become eco-friendly driving force

The purpose of the pledge is to promote a diverse workforce where men and women in the retail and consumer goods industry in Europe can fully contribute. We strongly support this goal because we know the value that diverse teams bring to business decisions and success. 

Our long-time partner, the Belarusian Child Fund, is carrying out the project – the first in the country under the umbrella of the 5by20 programme financed by The Coca‑Cola Foundation. 

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The female empowerment project started earlier this year with training sessions on agriculture with the participation of about 600 residents from the Orsha District. This region of Belarus is relatively large and rapidly developing.

After 25 training sessions on business in rural regions, the most motivated participants were nominated to participate in the second part of the project. This group of 40 women attended a five-day extensive training programme and became leaders of sub-groups. They learned about new agricultural methods and which type of plants they could earn the most from, and also had the opportunity to meet successful farmers during trips to the country’s Brest and Homiel regions.

Agronomists helped the women grow new crops. Depending on the type and condition of the soil, some participants received greenhouses and other equipment, as well as organic fertilizers, so that their products could be eco-friendly. As a result, the first year was very successful for all the participants: their products were sold at local and regional fairs and organic food markets. More than 15 participants have also registered their personal subsidiary plots, and now they can legally sell their harvest and consider expanding their property.