Bangkok--18 Nov--Bangkok Public Relations
- Set ‘sustainability’ goals for products, environment, community, and workplace
- 3-year goals in first phase include providing Bht 150 million in support to community programmes, reducing PET in packaging by 15%, recycling 95% of solid waste from production processes, introducing new coolers that reduce by 99% direct greenhouse gas emissions, conducting 1 million hours of staff training, and introducing 4 new beverages — all within 2012
- The Coca-Cola system presents ‘Live Positively’ award to 5 people who have made a positive difference to the world around them and embody the spirit of ‘Living Positively’
Top executives of the Coca-Cola system in Thailand — comprising Coca-Cola (Thailand) Ltd., and its two bottling partners ThaiNamthip Ltd., and Haad Thip pcl — together announced, today (17 November), the launch of a plan to integrate sustainability into all aspects of their business within three years.
Called ‘Live Positively’, the initiative is a part of a global programme “that is being rolled out in more than 100 countries around the world and commits the Coca-Cola system to multiple initiatives to make a positive difference in the world by incorporating sustainability into everything we do,” said Mr. Jorge Garduno, General Manager of Coca-Cola (Thailand) Ltd.
“This is the first time all members of the Coca-Cola system in Thailand are launching a major sustainability programme together as a system,” said Mr. Garduno, “and that reflects the importance of the Live Positively programme to our long-term success in the 21st century and the seriousness of our commitment to these sustainability goals”.
Mr. Pornwut Sarasin, Vice Chairman of ThaiNamthip Ltd. said, “Live Positively is a way for us to think holistically about sustainability efforts throughout the Coca-Cola system and in all the areas where our business intersects with society. Our ‘sustainability’ goals span right across our products, the environment, the communities in which we operate, and our workplaces.”
According to Mr. Pornwut, “Within three years, as part of the first phase of our multi-year ‘Live Positively’ programme, the Coca-Cola system in Thailand aims to introduce four new beverages in line with evolving consumer lifestyles, reduce the use of PET in our packaging by 15%, recycle 95% of solid waste from production processes, introduce new coolers that reduce direct greenhouse gas emissions by 99%, provide Bht 150 million in support to community programmes, and conduct one million hours of staff training.”
“We really believe that a focus on sustainability also makes good business sense and this is reflected in the breadth of our ‘Live Positively’ sustainability efforts. ‘Live Positively’ aims to make our system a trusted partner in the communities in which we operate, a preferred employer, a preferred business partner, and our products preferred beverages for consumers,” said Mr. Pornwut.
Col. Patchara Rattakul, Chief Operating Officer of Haad Thip pcl said, “In addition, we will roll out a range of sustainable community water partnerships and programmes that contribute to the Coca-Cola system’s global water neutrality goal of safely returning to nature and to communities the amount of water equivalent to what Coca-Cola uses in all of its beverages and their production by 2020. The system is also committed to ensuring that 100% of the wastewater from our manufacturing operations is so clean that it is capable of supporting aquatic life.”
“We will also be cutting back our consumption of energy. All new coolers will utilize advanced technology that reduces energy consumption by up to 35%. We will also reduce the amount of energy we use for the production of each litre of our beverages,” said Col. Patchara.
“In addition, we will introduce to the market lighter-weight - yet still safe and effective - packaging materials and designs. For example, we will reduce the use of PET in our packaging and thereby eliminate the use of over 8,700 tonnes of PET over the next three years,” he said. “We have also committed to recycle 95% of solid waste from our production processes within 2012,” he added.
Col. Patchara said that under the ‘Live Positively’ programme, the Coca-Cola system will promote physical activity among youth and conduct grassroots programmes that directly engage more than 50,000 teenagers in every province of Thailand within 2012.
To mark the launch of the ‘Live Positively’ programme in Thailand, Coca-Cola presented recognition awards to five people who it said ‘embody the Live Positively spirit’.
They include star national footballer, Mr. Nataporn Phanrit, for promoting 'active living' among youth; Ms. Sanit Thipnangrong, or ‘Na Noy’, for her pioneering work and leadership in community-based water resource management in the northeast of Thailand; Mr. ‘Tui’ Thiraphat Sajakul for helping to create sustainable coral reefs through conservation and the creation of artificial coral reefs; Mr. ‘Heart’ Suthipongse Thatphithakkul for his 10-year commitment to reducing global warming by riding a bicycle as often as he can instead of using a car; and, Ms. Suquan Bulakul for her commitment to promoting the use of cloth shopping bags to reduce global warming and making her house an exemplary home with low energy consumption.
The Coca-Cola system in Thailand is the nationwide leader in the non-alcoholic beverage market. Along with Coca-Cola, recognised as the world’s most valuable brand, the Coca-Cola system’s portfolio of beverages in Thailand includes Coca-Cola Zero, Coca-Cola Light, Fanta, Sprite, Schweppes, A&W Root Beer, Minute Maid Pulpy, Minute Maid Splash, and Namthip.
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