AFRICA – Coca-Cola Africa Operating Unit (AOU) and its bottling partners have launched a new regional focused sustainability platform dubbed Jamii.
Through this signature platform, the beverage giant hopes to attract like-minded partners to help accelerate on-the-ground impact of its initiatives.
It will feature the organization’s existing and new sustainability initiatives, further building on past accomplishments.
The platform’s area of focus include; water stewardship, the economic empowerment of women and youth and waste management.
“We recognize the responsibility we have as market leaders to make a meaningful difference – to empower and protect the communities and the environment in which we operate.
“Whether it is giving people access to safe drinking water, creating economic opportunities for people in dire need of it, or reducing the impact of our operations on the environment- we are committed to making that difference,” said Bruno Pietracci, Africa President at The Coca-Cola Company.
According to Coca-Cola, the initiative will be delivered together with bottling partners, system employees, and several NGO partners.
Some of the organizations the company has previously collaborated with in delivering its mandate include FengHuang Plastics Industries, Aquila Investments Limited, Recycle Points in Nigeria, PetCo, WASTE Africa, GiveFood, Karis and Eleos Hand of Hope Foundation, among others.
“We chose the name JAMII, a Swahili word that means Community, Society, People – because it represents who we are as Africans and aligns with our values as an organization- our resilience, our commitment, and our spirit of community.
“Consolidating our sustainability efforts under this umbrella will allow us to strengthen our value proposition and make good on our promise to continue to be a trusted partner for sustainable growth in Africa,” said Patricia Obozuwa, AOU Vice President for Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability.
In the area of women and youth economic empowerment, JAMII will promote and stimulate entrepreneurship opportunities through the provision of improved access to skills training, networks, finance & markets.
To date, over 2 million women across Africa have been economically enabled as part of the 5by20 program.
Looking at water stewardship, the platform will replenish 100% of the water used in production of the company’s products by managing water use efficiency in its operations.
It is also set to support the conservation of natural water resources and improving community water access and climate change adaption.
So far, combined efforts by Coca-Cola Africa, The Coca-Cola Foundation and its partners have resulted in sustainable access to drinking water for over 6 million people through the Replenish Africa Initiative (RAIN).
For waste management, Coca-Cola Africa is committed to driving a world without waste. Nearly all of Coca-Cola’s packaging is already recyclable with the goal of recycling the equivalent of 100% of its packaging waste by 2030.
Obozuwa added that, “Coca-Cola Africa is already forming new partnerships to facilitate the implementation of JAMII projects that will deliver on these goals.”
Internally, JAMII will inspire employees to make a difference in their immediate communities. Employee-nominated charities will receive grants and employee volunteering will be encouraged.
Also, The Coca-Cola Employee Disaster Relief Fund will support employees facing financial hardship as a result of a natural disaster.
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