Ethics in Coke India
ABSTRACT
This case is about the global water sustainability initiatives undertaken by The Coca-Cola Company (Coca-Cola). It details the activities undertaken by Coca-Cola's management and employees to contribute to the benefit of the society and community in which the company operated by pledging to return all the water it used in its operations back to the environment. On June 5, 2007, Coca-Cola and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) launched a global project that focused on water conservation.
Coca-Cola being one of the largest beverage companies in the world had water sustainability initiatives as an integral part of its corporate agenda since water was an important element for the company to run its business.
According to the company, it was aware of the environmental impact caused by a business of its scale and therefore it had decided to implement a wide range of initiatives to improve the quality of life of its customers, the workforce, and the society at large.
While Coca-Cola's water sustainability initiatives earned accolades from its collaboration partners, it came in for severe criticism from activists and environmental experts for allegedly depleting groundwater resources in India. The company was also accused of dumping toxic and hazardous waste materials near its bottling facilities, and discharging wastewater into the agricultural lands of farmers. Moreover, Coca-Cola was one of the most boycotted companies in the world for its alleged unethical business practices in developing countries.
Notwithstanding the criticisms, the company championed various water sustainability initiatives such as rainwater harvesting, restoring groundwater resources, efficient water resource management, watershed protection, community water initiatives, and global awareness and action initiatives for educating the underserved communities the significance of water. The company was also criticized for spending millions of dollars to project a 'green' and
This case is about the global water sustainability initiatives undertaken by The Coca-Cola Company (Coca-Cola). It details the activities undertaken by Coca-Cola's management and employees to contribute to the benefit of the society and community in which the company operated by pledging to return all the water it used in its operations back to the environment. On June 5, 2007, Coca-Cola and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) launched a global project that focused on water conservation.
Coca-Cola being one of the largest beverage companies in the world had water sustainability initiatives as an integral part of its corporate agenda since water was an important element for the company to run its business.
According to the company, it was aware of the environmental impact caused by a business of its scale and therefore it had decided to implement a wide range of initiatives to improve the quality of life of its customers, the workforce, and the society at large.
While Coca-Cola's water sustainability initiatives earned accolades from its collaboration partners, it came in for severe criticism from activists and environmental experts for allegedly depleting groundwater resources in India. The company was also accused of dumping toxic and hazardous waste materials near its bottling facilities, and discharging wastewater into the agricultural lands of farmers. Moreover, Coca-Cola was one of the most boycotted companies in the world for its alleged unethical business practices in developing countries.
Notwithstanding the criticisms, the company championed various water sustainability initiatives such as rainwater harvesting, restoring groundwater resources, efficient water resource management, watershed protection, community water initiatives, and global awareness and action initiatives for educating the underserved communities the significance of water. The company was also criticized for spending millions of dollars to project a 'green' and