Coca-Cola India

Of the three Golden Peacock Global Awards for Corporate Social Responsibility given at Vilamoura in Portugal, Coca-Cola India once again bagged a special commendation for its contribution in India towards its efforts in community development - for replenishment of ground water and setting a target of year 2009 to reach a "net zero" balance with respect to groundwater usage. The other recipients of the awards were Brandesco Banco, Brazil and Tata Steel, India.

The Deputy Minister of Economy & Innovation, Government of Portugal, Antonio Castro Guerra, gave away the award to the Company in the presence of Dr Ola Ullsten former Prime Minister of Sweden at the 4th Global Conference on Social Responsibility held in Portugal.

This award follows the India Today Pegasus Corporate Social Responsibility Gold Award 2008, instituted by Readers Digest. The Company had won the Pegasus award for its partnership with India’s leading NGO- BAIF for spreading awareness amongst school students, across India, using an innovative medium like a specially commissioned animation film, “Our Environment- Let Us Protect It”. The film aims to reach over 20,000 schools and millions of students. For greater impact, the film has also been translated in regional languages like Marathi and Hindi.

As a responsible corporate and a user of water, Coca-Cola India believes that it can be a part of the solution on water issues. It focuses on Water Conservation, Access to clean drinking water and Awareness of water conservation and related issues as its strategy on water stewardship. Coca-Cola India in partnership with several NGOs, central and state government agencies, schools and colleges and the local community has already installed 400 rainwater harvesting projects across the country. It has also undertaken the construction of several check dams, rejuvenation of ponds and other traditional water bodies like step wells (or Bawaris as they are locally referred to).

Coca-Cola in India in partnership with Rotary International has launched “Elixir of Life”- a project to provide potable water to more than 30,000 underprivileged children in and around Chennai. In addition to this, Coca-Cola India and UN-Habitat have signed an agreement which includes the provision of providing clean drinking water to 100 schools in West Bengal. The Company also regularly supports education and health initiatives in addition to Disaster Relief and Rehabilitation programs as and when required.