The Coca-Cola Africa Operating Unit and its bottling partners have announced the launch of Jamii, the company’s new Africa-focused sustainability platform. The platform houses Coca-Cola’s existing and new sustainability initiatives. Through this signature platform, Coca-Cola hopes to attract like-minded partners to help accelerate on-the-ground impact of its initiatives.
The new platform will build and expand on the past accomplishments in three areas. These are water stewardship, the economic empowerment of women and youth and waste management. This will be delivered together with bottling partners, system employees, and several NGO partners.
For women and youth economic empowerment, Jamii will promote and stimulate entrepreneurship opportunities through the provision of improved access to skills training, networks, finance and markets. In water stewardship, Coca-Cola aims to replenish 100% of the water used in production of our products by managing water use efficiency in its operations, supporting the conservation of natural water resources and improving community water access and climate change adaption. So far, 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 has committed to drive a world without waste. Nearly all of its packaging is recyclable with the goal of recycling the equivalent of 100% of its packaging waste by 2030.
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. Additionally, the Coca-Cola Employee Disaster Relief Fund will support employees facing financial hardship as a result of a natural disaster.
“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.