The Coca-Cola Company

Thousands "Walk The Talk" Through Blog Blast '06

April 21, 2006 edition

In March 2005, the Company’s Manifesto for Growth identified seven core values to help shape the Company’s culture and drive sustainable growth. A year later, employees around the world engaged in an online conversation to help define what it means to live these values on a daily basis.

From March 29 through April 6, 2006, the Executive Committee hosted a series of online discussions called "Walking the Talk to Sustainable Growth – Blog Blast '06." Using blog technology, employees from more than 45 countries posted 2,409 comments, questions and stories for others to read and respond to at any time of day. Employees also took the opportunity to view more than 30,000 pages on just the first day.

Each of the seven 24-hour discussions covered a different value and was co-sponsored by two senior Coca-Cola executives, posing questions such as:
  • How can we demonstrate passion and drive business results?
  • How can we be accountable for our work without sacrificing collaboration?
  • How do we foster a culture that supports risk-taking?
Employees said the Company should focus on creating an environment that promotes the sharing of ideas and knowledge, learning from successes and failures, taking reasonable risks, and being rewarded and recognized for living the values. The conversation also helped identify barriers to success.

Since the launch of our Manifesto for Growth, many areas of the Company have worked hard to understand the seven values. Blog Blast '06 attempted to build on that work and extend the conversation worldwide. The blog is just one element in the "Walking the Talk to Sustainable Growth" initiative, which will continue throughout the year:
  • Phase 1: Define our values (January–April)
  • Phase 2: Communicate definitions (May–July)
  • Phase 3: Embed our values into key business processes (June–ongoing)
  • Phase 4: Measure how well we live our values (ongoing)