 Trust has to start at the top, and on that score, we CEOs have a lot of work to do. The way to build trust, I think, is by paying attention to details and making sure they reflect your values. At The Coca-Cola
Company, ours are integrity, quality, accountability, diversity and relationships based on respect for the individual, for the communities where we do business and for the environment. We demonstrate our core values in the way we operate every day.
 So in 2003, for example, our Board approved an amendment to the Company’s By-Laws requiring every Director to stand for election annually. We hired our first Chief Compliance Officer and rolled out online training
on our Code of Business Conduct and ethical and legal compliance issues. We upgraded the recycling program at our headquarters in Atlanta, making it easier for employees to recycle everything from batteries to magazines. I don’t mean to overstate the importance of any of these things—but
I do know that building ethical management, contributing to the health of communities and using natural resources responsibly takes attention to detail. |
