Company Statements

03/30/06

The Coca-Cola Company Statement on International Labor Organization Investigation

The Coca-Cola Company is pleased that the International Labor Organization has agreed to conduct an independent and impartial investigation and evaluation of the labor relations and workers' rights practices of Coca-Cola bottlers in Colombia.

Responding to requests from various concerned parties, we pledged earlier to help facilitate an additional independent, impartial, third-party investigation of Coca-Cola bottling operations in Colombia and the ILO's engagement fulfills that pledge. The ILO is the ideal organization to complete this investigation and evaluation based on its unimpeachable record as an advocate for workers' rights, its authority with respect to international labor standards and its tripartite structure which balances representation from government, workers and employers.

The Coca-Cola Company and the Coca-Cola bottlers in Colombia will cooperate fully with the ILO assessment team. We respect the ILO's independence and impartiality and will defer further questions about the scope and conduct of the assessment to appropriate ILO representatives.

Despite prior audits and assessments, questions about our labor relations practices in Colombia persist. We believe that an investigation and evaluation by an authority with the ILO's credentials in matters of this nature will produce a report whose conclusions will be credible to all concerned parties. We strive to be a leader in ensuring the rights and safety of our workers and embrace the opportunity to work with others to address problems and develop solutions.