Opening Remarks at the IOC Panel Discussion

Muhtar Kent, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Coca-Cola Company
Copenhagen, Denmark
October 2, 2009

As prepared for delivery

Thank you, Gerhard (Heiberg), and good morning, everyone. It's an honor to be here representing The Coca-Cola Company and system at the 13 th Olympic Congress. And it's a pleasure to join my esteemed colleagues for this important panel discussion.

Coca-Cola has a very special and vested interest in ensuring that the noble ideals and values of Olympism live on and grow. We have been associated with the Olympic Movement since the 1928 Amsterdam Olympic Games -- longer than any corporate sponsor.

During the last 81 years, we have worked hand-in-hand with the Olympic family to reach new audiences, support athletes, promote the ideals of global peace and friendship, and provide economic support to the communities served through the Olympic Movement.

At the same time, our coveted Olympic partnership has provided us with a powerful and complementary platform to advance our mission to refresh the world through our 500-plus beverage brands... to inspire moments of optimism and happiness... and to create value and make a difference.

The strength of our Olympic partnership is directly related to the relationships we have cultivated over the years with the International Olympic Committee and with all the stakeholders touched by the Games.

For the Olympic Movement to stay fresh, relevant and viable in the years to come, all of us as stakeholders need to be thinking about a much bigger picture that is unfolding in the world today. If you dig below the surface of this economic crisis that has consumed us all for the past year, you will see a world undergoing dramatic transformation.

A world of massive economic shifts, political shifts, demographic shifts and social shifts. A world where media, marketing and technologies are changing by the day. A world where consumers are increasingly concerned about the environment and the sustainability of the planet.

These are just some of the issues in front of us.

And with all of this, we see a proliferation of stakeholders that we need to engage. These relationships will grow and become more complex in the years ahead.

Coming from the business partner perspective, we at Coca-Cola see at least four areas where we can work closer together with the Olympic Movement to benefit all stakeholders.

The first is "reconnecting with youth." The IOC and its Olympic partners need to do a better job at inspiring youth to be active.

I read a report the other day that was put out in America by the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association. The report said overall participation in team sports in the U.S. is not as strong as it once was. The culprits weren't just video games and television, either. The economy and the decline in local neighborhood and park sporting programs are also playing a role. Similar trends are playing out in Europe and other markets around the world.

The good news is there is a lot of runway ahead of us. While the world is getting older, the population boom will continue to produce a surging youth market. By the year 2020, one third of the world will be under 18 -- and 90 percent of this market will reside in Africa, Asia and Latin America. We will need to think creatively and collaboratively to introduce a new generation to the Olympic Movement.

The second area we can work closer together on is closely related to the youth market and that is "the digital revolution." Indeed, I was glad to see Youth and the Digital Revolution among the five themes being explored at this Congress. The digital and social media revolution is here, it's real and it's changing the way we interact with not just our consumers but all of our stakeholders.

The explosion we've seen in social media in just the last three years is incredible. You've heard some of the statistics: While it took television 13 years to reach 50 million users and the internet 4 years to reach 50 million users - Facebook achieved twice that number... 100 million users... in just 9 months.

By the way, Coca-Cola, with nearly 4 million fans, is the No. 3 page on Facebook behind only President Obama and Michael Jackson.

We are laser focused on digital and social media of all sorts, and we think there is enormous opportunity ahead in this space to reach consumers and stakeholders in meaningful, relevant and compelling ways. There is so much we can do together to share digital insights and innovations for the benefit of the Olympic movement.

The third area where we can work together is collaborating further in our sustainability efforts. Environmentalism, of course, was added as an essential component of Olympism the last time this Congress convened in 1994. Since then, concern for the environment has broadened to include all aspects of what we refer to now as sustainability.

We've seen great execution so far -- most notably the Green Games of Beijing as well as the new innovations we'll be seeing with the Vancouver Olympic Games this winter.

Fourth and finally, we need to work together to promote a healthier world. Everyone plays a role here. Business, government, and civil society must join hands to better educate the public on nutrition and healthy diets and encourage more exercise. 

We need to create an atmosphere where people move more. You've heard the statistics: We're supposed to take 10,000 steps a day (the equivalent of five miles of walking) to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The average person today takes less than 3,000 steps a day. As the world continues to become more urban and industrialized, this challenge will only increase.

The Olympic Movement can -- and should -- play an important role in promoting a healthier world.

I believe if we bring stakeholders together around these four themes, in particular, we will make great progress ensuring the Olympic Movement remains a positive force for many, many years to come.

Thank you for this opportunity to say a few words. I look forward to a great dialogue today.