World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines, the local arm of the world’s largest conservation organization, has recognized Coca-Cola Philippines as a Sustainability Trailblazer for its programs on water replenishment, women economic empowerment, energy efficiency and climate protection, and for one of its most ambitious undertakings—its World Without Waste vision.
With a vast system in the Philippines that encompasses its bottling arm Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines, Inc. (CCBPI), as well as the Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines, the Company mobilizes its system to work together, each playing an important role in ensuring that the Company champions sustainability across the entire business and beyond.
Working toward a World Without Waste, CCBPI announced this year that it will invest in a PHP 1B pioneering, state-of-the-art, food-grade recycling facility that will help boost the country’s recycling rates and uplift livelihoods in the waste value chain. This represents Coca-Cola’s first major investment in a recycling facility in South East Asia
Further to this, Coca-Cola has been pushing strongly toward packaging innovation. It launched its first-ever bottle made entirely of recycled plastic under the Viva! brand and introduced the Sprite clear bottle, a complete redesign prompted by the Company’s goal to increase the recyclability of its packaging.
Working with local communities, Coca-Cola aims to help strengthen solid waste management practices in areas where it is present. It has piloted programs in host barangays in Iloilo and Bacolod; and has collaborated with local government units, including Boracay, Davao, Siargao, and Palawan to champion environmental stewardship. Through NGO partners, the Coca-Cola Foundation has also aided communities in Cavite, Bataan, Marinduque, Albay, Davao, Metro Manila, Boracay, La Union, Baler, Siargao, Negros Occidental, and Saranggani through waste management workshops and the deployment of facilities and technologies needed for collection and recycling systems.
With environmentally conscious systems and policies in place, Coca-Cola has made the use of renewable energy prominent in its operations, with over 60% of its energy requirements being sourced from clean and renewable energy. The Company has continued on its green energy track, with the installation of approximately 10,000 solar panels in two of its manufacturing plants, in Bacolod and Misamis Oriental.
The Company’s holistic Water Leadership program has enabled it to achieve 108% water replenishment prior to its 2020 goal. In its operations, CCBPI has been constantly increasing its water efficiency, which has resulted in more than 5 billion liters of water saved through its water savings initiatives; while more than 17.5 million liters of water have been returned through to its waste-water treatment system. Going beyond the walls of its facilities, Coca-Cola Agos Program provides access to drinking water to far-flung, water-poor communities. The AGOS program has, thus far, reached 49 provinces.
On a global scale, the 5by20 program aims to empower 5 million women by 2020 and in the Philippines, Coca-Cola is underway to achieving this through the Sari-Sari Store Training and Access to Resources (STAR) program, which provides skills training, peer mentoring, and access to resources to grow their businesses. Coca-Cola has enabled 156,000 women since 2011.
Gareth McGeown, CCBPI President and CEO, thanked WWF Philippines for its recognition of the Company’s achievements and sustainability initiatives. “As we work toward our goals for the Company,” said McGeown, “we will always strive to go beyond what we have accomplished this far and continue to find ways to improve our operations, further our environmental stewardship programs, and reach out to more communities across the Philippines.”
