As a third-party observer, I have nothing but praise for the intent, commitment, and dedication of Coca-Cola Philippines to achieve their sustainability objectives and targets. They’ve really given it much thought, made it systemic and covered most eventualities, encompassing the “cradle to grave” concept — and have even bitten the bullet when it comes to optimizing one’s OpEx and profitability, all in the name of these sustainable goals.
Under the umbrella tagline of “World Without Waste,” Coca-Cola has driven for strategic partnerships to help substantiate their commitment to a Circular Economy, and make it happen. If anything, I believe it’s us, the general public, who have lagged behind in the educating and appreciating side of what these companies and brands are doing in the name of sustainability.
We often take a presumptive, simplistic approach of thinking sustainability is all about being green and environment-friendly, when that’s just part of the picture. Yes, it is an essential part; but in reality, just as essential as the social and governance aspects that together, form the foundation trio of any worthwhile sustainability agenda that a company or brand can espouse.
An event for Coca-Cola Philippines’ Sustainability Progress Report Year 4 was recently held at Blue Leaf BGC, and the special guests were Senator Cynthia Villar and DENR Secretary Toni Yulo-Loyzaga. And no, reclamation was not on the agenda that day. In fact, the two were friendly, and happy to tender speeches about the importance of sustainability, and their appreciation of the extent to which the private sector, and Coca-Cola in particular, is championing sustainable goals. If anything, there’s still so much to be done, and Sen. Villar was calling on these other private companies to redouble their efforts.
For those in the dark about the lofty targets of Coca-Cola, it aims to help collect and recycle the equivalent of every can or bottle they sell, by 2030, and to make all packaging fully recyclable by 2025. Simultaneously, the programs of Coca-Cola, under its World Without Waste initiative, empower communities throughout the country through collaborations that enable positive change and support a debris-free environment. All the plastic bottles of 500ml or less are now made with 100 percent recycled plastic, saving tons of virgin plastic. And take note that recycling plastic is a costly process, and it would be cheaper to use virgin plastic.
Way back in 2007, Coca-Cola began its Water Stewardship Program, with the goal of moving toward a “water-sustainable” business, organized around four main targets. These four would be water-use efficiency, managing wastewater, water replenishment, and mitigating risk. Let’s recognize how here in the Philippines, we’re talking about 19 bottling plants, 10,000 employees, one million retail partners, and over 70 distribution and sales offices. The Coca-Cola footprint in our country is a substantial one, and we can be thankful that the company takes sustainability so seriously.
In sustainable packaging, the drive to circularity is enhanced via recycling. A strategic partner here is Indorama Ventures. Indorama now operates in six continents, in 35 countries, and with 21 recycling facilities. They’re one of the global leaders on mechanical recycling, and developed rPET, a material highly suited for the circular economy, and offers consumers an opportunity to contribute to a closed-loop system. PETValue Philippines, with Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines Inc, just opened this year, and is the first bottle-to-bottle, food grade recycling facility in the country.
All the above goes back to what I was saying at the start of this feature and why I have nothing but admiration for the Coca-Cola sustainability approach. It’s multi-pronged, for the product itself, to the people, to stakeholders and community, and extending to partners. It’s also about addressing the different facets and components of the operations — from waste, to water, to packaging, and so on.
I’m happy to announce that Coca-Cola is participating in the first-ever Manila Bulletin Sustainability Forum on Nov. 23 and 24, 2022, with a Recognition Night on the 24th. Coca-Cola will have two speaking slots. So, if you want to learn more about the programs of World Without Waste, and about Water Stewardship, look for the releases we’ll be putting out in the weeks leading to the forum.