The Coca-Cola Company

Company Programs Win Asian Corporate Social Responsibility Awards

September 29, 2006 edition

Our Company took home an unprecedented three honors at the 2006 Asian Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Awards, held September 26 in Manila.

Company initiatives won in three of the award program’s five categories: the Philippines Division won for its Little Red Schoolhouse initiative in the "Support and Improvement of Education" category, and the China Division was recognized for its Migrant Farmer Training and Employment Program in the "Poverty Alleviation" category and its Project Health Journey campaign in the "Concern for Health" category.

Vying for the awards were 278 entries from 98 companies in 14 countries. Our Company was the only one that won in three out of five categories.

The Little Red Schoolhouse program, a partnership between The Coca-Cola Foundation, UNICEF and the Philippines Department of Education, has provided access to quality elementary education to rural Filipinos since 1997. The initiative has built 61 school buildings across 43 provinces, helping to improve the lives of 28,000 schoolchildren and 700 teachers. Learn more »

In China, the Migrant Farmer Training and Employment Program (MFTEP) is a partnership effort with the National Association of Vocational Education of China. The program helps alleviate rural poverty through vocational training by providing stable and meaningful employment to young farmers. Coca-Cola China's business expertise has widened the scale of the project, improved its efficiency and heightened its profile. Donations have reached $12.5 million in the past 15 months -- far surpassing the project’s total donations received from 1995 to 2005.

The Company’s third award-winning entry, Project Health Journey, has, since 2005, utilized the extensive Coca-Cola distribution system to deliver nutritionally beneficial soy milk powder to more than 21,000 students and teachers living in underdeveloped areas of China. The program also improves the sanitary conditions and water quality in rural schools, and educates young children on nutrition and hygiene issues.

Asia's premier awards program on corporate social responsibility, the Asian CSR Awards recognizes projects that demonstrate a company's leadership, sincerity and ongoing commitment to incorporating ethical values, ensuring legal compliance and demonstrating respect for individuals, communities and the environment.