Video ReportAlert: Highlights Coca-Cola Enterprises CRS Report 2009

Transcript of Video ReportAlert:

Hello! I am Elaine Cohen bringing you a Video ReportAlert. For more about our Video ReportAlert service, see CorporateRegister.com. This time, I bring you highlights of the Coca-Cola Enterprises Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Report for 2009, published in June 2010.  Just to be clear, Coca-Cola Enterprises requested this video, and advised me of the highlights they would like to share with you. I personally have studied this report and will offer some insights which are entirely my own.  

Coca-Cola Enterprises is one of the hundreds of private bottling companies around the world engaged in the production of Coca-Cola products by agreement with the Coca-Cola Company.   CCE is the world’s largest marketer, distributor and producer of Coca-Cola products, serving 421 million people across 8 countries in North America and Western Europe.   This report is the Company's fifth Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability report titled “Clear on our Commitments: Our Journey to 2020." In 2009, the company announced Commitment 2020, a set of goals in five CRS focus areas that they have committed to achieve by the year 2020. Yes, that’s long term thinking and long range targeting.   Environmental Commitments   Three of the five commitments in CCE's Commitment 2020 relate to environmental responsibility and sustainability.   Commitment ONE is all about Energy Conservation and Climate Change. CCE's carbon footprint was calculated in 2009 at 5.4 million metric tons, an 11.5 percent reduction from 2007. It’s important to note that this also includes optional Scope 3 emissions, meaning those which are not generated directly by CCE, but result from other sources, such as sales and marketing equipment operated by their customers.  These emissions are significantly greater than the emissions which are directly generated by CCE’s production and distribution activities, so it is really important that these are reported on.   Commitment TWO relates to Water Stewardship.  In 2009, they reduced their water use ratio to 1.67 liters of water to produce 1 liter of product. This is a 3.5 percent improvement since 2008.  To achieve this, CCE used a variety of water saving techniques in their facilities. Technologies such as air rinsers have allowed the company to yield annualized savings of 300 million liters of water. That’s a lot of water.   Commitment THREE relates to Sustainable Packaging and Recycling. CCE's innovative here can be seen in their development of PlantBottle, a fully recyclable PET bottle using up to 30 percent of plant-based materials, or in their creation of Coca-Cola Recycling program, which recovered more than 160,000 metric tons of recyclables in 2009. Internally, CCE reports on achieving recycling rates of more than 92 percent in North America and more than 99 percent in Europe.   Social Commitments   The other two of CCE's five commitments in Commitment 2020 relate to the social aspects of their responsibility and sustainability performance.   Commitment FOUR relates to Product Portfolio and Balanced and Active Lifestyle. CCE has applied the School Beverage Guidelines and now 50 percent of beverages offered in North American high schools are water and low- or no-calorie options. CCE has reduced beverage calories in U.S. schools by 88 percent since 2006 through this program. CCE has also supported First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! campaign by leading the beverage industry’s labeling initiative, which is called Clear on Calories, and this ensures calorie counts are displayed more prominently on all packs at all points of sale.    Commitment FIVE relates to Diverse and Inclusive Culture. The reporting on Diversity is more extensive than previous reports, as it now offers information on workplace benefits, health and safety measures, employee engagement levels, and the programs in place to create a more diverse and inclusive workplace and better work environment.    CRS in Action   Something I found particularly inspiring in the Coca-Cola Enterprises report this year was their focus on their employees. In every section of the report, you can find case studies, employee stories, photographs.  In fact, the cover of the report is a group of employees, obviously enjoying their work. But most of all I particularly liked the spread on the CRS in Action.   This was another CCE first in 2009. It was a week of social and environmental responsibility activities designed to communicate the CR commitments, goals and processes that the company is engaged in to all employees, to  inspire and involve and motivate them. So many Companies just take for granted that their employees are just going to "get it".  But it takes effort and investment to truly engage your employees and embed a corporate responsibility and sustainability culture in the business.       Looking forward   I am going to leave you with a quote from the CEO of Coca-Cola Enterprises John Brock who writes: "We will only reach our goals with the help of our stakeholders." I think every company working on sustainability needs the help and the engagement of all of its stakeholders, whether these are employees involved internally in the business or the widest possible range of external stakeholders. One way you, as a stakeholder, can help and can get engaged is to take a look at this report and give Coca-Cola Enterprises your feedback.     Thanks for viewing. This is Elaine Cohen, with a Video ReportAlert for Coca-Cola Enterprises, brought to you by CorporateRegister.com, and 3BL Media.