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.

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. 

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. 

100% rPET

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

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

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

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

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.

World Cleanup Day

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

Girls in STEM

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” 

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. 

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.