SustainCase: How Coca-Cola is ensuring the sustainability of local water sources everywhere it operates

Case study: How Coca-Cola is ensuring the sustainability of local water sources everywhere it operates


Communities across the world rely on a sufficient quantity of safe, accessible water from sustainable ecosystems for their continued prosperity. For Coca-Cola and its bottling partners, water is equally important. It is the primary ingredient in its products, it enables its manufacturing processes and it is fundamental to the cultivation of the diverse crops Coca-Cola depends upon for its beverage ingredients and, in some cases, even its packaging.


Coca-Cola is a global company, with its products sold in more than 200 countries and territories. Where it can, Coca-Cola utilizes a localized operational approach as much as possible – making its products in the same markets where it sells to its customers. This creates a business imperative that complements Coca-Cola’s ethical drive: Coca-Cola is working to ensure the sustainability of local water sources everywhere it operates.  Tweet This! After measuring and setting targets, Coca-Cola took action to safely return to communities and nature an amount of water equivalent to what Coca-Cola uses in its finished beverages and their production, improve water efficiency in manufacturing operations, assess water source risks, recycle and treat water and, also, engage bottling partners, government agencies and surrounding communities in India to help replenish water resources.


Using the GRI Standards in order to maintain and increase the value of your company


With each publication in this series the FBRH team will highlight one key impact identified by a company reporting in accordance with the GRI Standards and show how it has taken a structured, systematic approach to improving performance. With such positive action companies build trust, by dealing responsibly and conscientiously with their impact on the environment and on their stakeholders (e.g. clients, suppliers, shareholders, local communities, NGOs or local government). Stakeholders that can hold it back or stop it from reaching its objectives


By building trust your company creates loyalty and long-term commitment to its services and brands