The Coca-Cola Company

Company Joins U.N. Effort To Expand Access To Safe Drinking Water

July 07, 2006 edition

In keeping with the Company’s commitment to the U.N. Global Compact and our environmental goals as set out in the Manifesto for Growth, our Company’s Eurasia and Middle East Division (EMED) has pledged to work with the United Nations to establish initiatives for expanding access to safe drinking water in more than 10 countries.

A memorandum of understanding between EMED and the U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) was signed on June 15, creating a framework for a public-private partnership focused on water. The idea is to engage the public sector in achieving the United Nation's Millennium Development Goals, including environmental sustainability. Among the environmental goals is the challenge to reduce by half the number of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water by 2015.

The Millennium Development Goals are aligned with the 10 principles outlined in the U.N. Global Compact, which also addresses human rights, labor standards and anti-corruption. The environmental principles outlined in the U.N. Global Compact, a voluntary initiative that the Company joined in March, call for businesses to promote environmental responsibility, develop and use environmentally friendly technologies and support a precautionary approach to environmental challenges.

The June 15 agreement preceded a "Responsible Investing Forum" held in Vienna by the UNDP, the U.N. Industrial Development Organization and the Austrian Development Cooperation, to discuss the role the private sector can play in offering solutions for development issues. The memorandum of understanding between EMED and UNDP drew praise at the forum.

The Company’s commitment to the environment is embedded in the Manifesto for Growth vision for the Planet aspect of the 5Ps -- Profit, Portfolio, People, Partners and Planet. The Planet vision calls, in part, for the Company to become the global corporate leader in water stewardship. Supporting community-based programs and partnering with government and nongovernment organizations to promote water stewardship are part of the Company’s overall water initiative.