BY UE STUDIO
Thursday, December 232021-11: 13
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Who has not ever heard of the Coca-Cola formula, that secret ingredient that is part of the mystique of this brand and that, in the right proportion, gives rise to a unique drink enjoyed by more than 66 million of people in Spain. Now the numbers 1,5, 2040 and 0 become part of another unique formula that will help refresh the planet. Limiting the temperature increase by 1.5 degrees is vital and Coca-Cola, aligned with the Paris Agreement, announces its plan to achieve it: it will be zero net emissions in 2040.
Climate change constitutes the greatest environmental threat facing humanity. Sea levels are rising and weather events are becoming more and more extreme. Furthermore, global emissions of carbon dioxide have increased by almost 50% since 1990. This global reality makes it necessary for the collaboration of the whole of society and of the institutions to try to stop this situation.
Along with the commitments made by the countries in international meetings, numerous companies have wanted to join this objective, leading actions that reduce the carbon footprint. This is the case of Coca-Cola, which has just completed one year with its Coca-Cola climate action plan,
'We act on the climate now: Goal Zero'
and which has led to important achievements. "Coca-Cola's social and environmental commitment is not something new, and our goal is to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040, ten years before the goal set by Europe,"
says Carmen Gómez-Aceb
o, Director of Sustainability Iberia Coca- Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP). A new initiative with which
The company has managed, in ten years, to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Spain by almost 45% throughout its value chain
.
"We have focused on reducing our emissions as much as possible, from the ingredients we have, to the packaging, to the beverages we sell. When we cannot reduce further, we will opt for validated projects to remove GHG emissions from the atmosphere," Gomez-Acebo points out.
The factory located in Vilas de Turbón since September 2021 is the first in Spain with net zero emissions, and it is expected that by the end of 2024 five more factories with these same characteristics will be added.
Cutting edge technology
The company has state-of-the-art technology that enables it to obtain packaging, transportation, cold equipment or ingredients with reduced emissions. Thus, 70% of Coca-Cola's refrigerators are Connected Coolers, with low energy consumption. "We will continue to put all the technical means so that the new cold equipment continues to be free of HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons) and we will replace the less efficient ones with more efficient models", they affirm from the multinational.
Coca-Cola's commitment to sustainable mobility is also reflected in the incorporation in the last year of 190 hybrid vehicles in the fleet, as well as in the use of 700 rail routes. "Every year we are going to use more electric and hybrid vehicles as part of our fleet of cars and vans. In addition, electric vehicles will be recharged with electricity from renewable sources," they point out in the company.
The commitment to the
circular economy
is another of Coca-Cola's commitments
.
99.7% of its plastic bottles are recyclable
.
The containers contain 25% recycled PET (50% in still drinks and juices), a percentage that will continue to increase to 50% in 2022, which will mean a 17% reduction in the carbon footprint.
And aluminum cans are 60% lighter than 30 years ago, saving more than 22,000 tons of virgin material per year.
(PET, aluminum, glass).
The project 'Circular seas'
Among the projects framed within the circular economy, the multinational has a program called 'Circular Seas', which seeks solutions to the problem of marine litter.
In its three years of life, it has collected more than 1,100 tons of plastics
. 'Circular Mares'' is a comprehensive project in which 17,000 volunteers participate, and with which around 600 public and private organizations collaborate. "A network of alliances that allows us to travel through Spain with our objectives of raising awareness and training in recycling, cleaning waste from beaches, seas and aquatic environments in Spain and Portugal, and investigating new sustainable solutions on a clear path towards the circular economy ",explains the Director of Sustainability for Iberia at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners.
Responsible and sustainable raw materials and commitment to water
All raw materials and ingredients that Coca-Cola is made with come from sustainable sources.
Respect for the human rights of those who work in its supply chain is also guaranteed.
In Spain, 'Sustainable citrus fruit' is being developed, an initiative with citrus farmers to support them in caring for the environment and protecting biodiversity, with which they have become one of the largest suppliers of organic lemons in Europe.
"Critical sustainability offers advice and technical support to farmers in the Valencian Community and Tarragona, to implement sustainable fertilization and irrigation practices in their crops", highlights Carmen Gómez Acebo.
Water is one of the main ingredients used by Coca-Cola.
For this reason, the company promotes a sustainable management of this important resource throughout the value chain, which is manifested in the reduction of the water used in production and purification during the manufacturing processes.
Faced with scientific evidence that it is increasingly scarce, Coca-Cola is fully aware that water is a finite resource and has made
its efficient use a capital corporate objective, investing resources in recovering and protecting ecosystems that depend on water.
.
Supplier cooperation
90% of the emissions generated by Coca-Cola come from processes over which the company does not have direct control because they are in the hands of the suppliers. This means that supplier collaboration is essential. For this reason, the company has made them part of the plan to promote the transition towards carbon neutrality throughout its value chain. "We have managed to involve all suppliers in our climate strategy, continuously innovating in the value chain to reduce emissions more and more and also contribute to raising consumer awareness, thanks to the weight and confidence that our brand transmits, that each one of their decisions, adds to the common purpose of stopping global warming ", they assure from Coca-Cola.
"Our position as a benchmark in the beverage industry implies the responsibility of also leading the sustainable transformation and green recovery, and for this we assume the commitment to work throughout our entire value chain demanding excellence in practices and respect for the most demanding international standards, with a corporate strategy aligned with the Ten Principles of the Global Compact and with the 2030 Agenda and its 17 SDGs are more profitable, generate better brand value, have greater access to capital and respond better to employees, customers , suppliers and society in general, "concludes the Coca-Cola spokesperson.
SUPPORT Ecodesign to reduce the environmental footprint of packaging
The sustainability of the container begins with the design of the product, measuring the environmental footprint associated with its production, distribution and consumption to minimize it, opting for materials such as recycled plastic or from organic sources and innovating in manufacturing techniques.
The result is the presence in the market of increasingly sustainable packaging.
The weight of the Contour refillable glass bottle, the most iconic of the Coca-Cola brand, has been reduced by 21% compared to the year 2000;
the 2-liter plastic bottle weighs 35% less since 2010 and cans weigh up to 60% less than 30 years ago.
Coca-Cola has invested 180 million euros in innovation and ecodesign projects.
The first bottle made with recycled plastic from marine litter stands out, managing to transform this highly degraded material into high-quality and safe raw material for food use.
This recycling technique is based on depolymerization, a chemical process that allows the decomposition and improvement of low-quality PET plastic, eliminating its impurities and turning it into PET plastic of great industrial value.
Coca-Cola has launched the cap attached to the bottle, by means of a ring that allows its hermetic closure.
It has also replaced the plastic wrap of its can binders with one made of 100% recyclable PEFC-certified cardboard, which comes from sustainable forests.
Made by UE Studio
This text has been developed by UE Studio, creative firm of branded content and content marketing of Unidad Editorial, paraCOCA-COLA
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
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