The 2020 Dow Jones Sustainability Index – one of the world’s leading global sustainability benchmarks – has again rated Coca-Cola HBC as Europe’s most sustainable beverage company.

This is the 7th time in 8 years that the company has been ranked number 1 in Europe and with its highest ever score, is ranked number two globally – its 10th successive year in the top three.

– Business sustainability is more important now than ever before, and this prestigious award confirms our efforts in, even in the moments of serious challenges, ensuring the wellbeing of or people and the local community where we operate, as it is the most important thing – said CEO Zoran Bogdanovic.

This result builds on the recognition for Coca-Cola HBC’s performance from other respected sustainability surveys and indexes such as MSCI ESG, CDP, FTSE4Good, and FTSE Russell ESG.

SUSTAINABILITY HIGHLIGHTS:

• A science-based reduction of 25% in carbon emissions intensity along the value chain (compared with 2010), two years ahead of the 2020 target date. Since 2010 the company has saved the equivalent of 1.53 million tonnes of CO2;
• More than 98% of the €3.2 billion purchasing spend on goods and raw materials was local (in the market of manufacture);
• Every job in the system supports an average of 11.8 other jobs;
• Since the launch of the company’s flagship community programme – #YouthEmpowered – in 2017, approximately 300,000 young people across 28 countries have been trained;
• The amount of water used by manufacturing sites in water-risk areas was reduced by 7% compared with 2017;
• 38% of management roles are now held by women, with a target to reach 50% by 2025;
• Four mineral water brands across five markets are now packaged in bottles made from 100% recycled PET; 5l Coke bottles made from 50% recycled PET in two countries;
• The company achieved an employee engagement score of 90%, above the high-performing norm and considerably higher than the average for FTSE 100 companies;
• Donation of more than 4 million litres of beverages to frontline key workers and food banks during the first wave of COVID-19 infections;
• Together with The Coca-Cola Foundation supported Red Cross initiatives and our HoReCa customers with grants totalling more than $10 million USD.

Coca-Cola HBC Serbia also contributed significantly to the impressive sustainability results of the company in the area of community investment, employee engagement, environmental protection and market innovation.

Thus water consumption per litre of produced drink was reduced by 53.8%, and total energy consumption was cut by 52% by 2019. A rate of recycled material in packaging grew as well, saving 295 tonnes of PET in 2019 only. There were also innovations in the portfolio that meets the needs of active lifestyle: such as the new Coca-Cola Zero Lemon, with no calories, or AdeZ products in the category of herbal beverages.

In 2019 only, Coca-Cola HBC Serbia invested more than RSD36 mn in project facilitating local community development. It also continues with programs of professional empowerment of youth, as the generators of further development, as well as strong support to the HoReCa sector, as one of the most affected during the pandemic.