The Coca-Cola Company has established comprehensive environmental and social commitments under its "World Without Waste" platform and broader sustainability strategy. The company is a signatory to the Science Based Targets initiative and has committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across its value chain by 2050, with an interim goal of reducing absolute Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions by 25% by 2030 compared to a 2020 baseline.
Climate and Environmental Goals: Coca-Cola has committed to making 100% of its packaging recyclable globally by 2025, with progress toward this goal reported annually. The company has also pledged to collect and recycle a bottle or can for every one sold by 2030. Water stewardship is central to Coca-Cola's sustainability strategy, with goals to replenish 100% of water used in finished beverages back to communities and nature. The company reported achieving this replenishment goal in 2021.
Sustainable Agriculture: Coca-Cola sources agricultural ingredients including sugar, citrus, tea, and coffee from farms worldwide. The company has implemented sustainable agriculture guidelines and works with suppliers to improve environmental practices in farming operations, though independent verification of these practices varies by region and commodity.
Social Impact: The Coca-Cola Foundation supports community programs focused on water access, environmental conservation, and economic empowerment. The company has faced scrutiny regarding labor practices in its supply chain, particularly in the sugar supply chain, and has implemented supplier code of conduct requirements to address these concerns.
Packaging and Recycling Leadership: Coca-Cola has invested in plant-based packaging alternatives and recycled content usage, though the company remains one of the world's largest producers of plastic packaging. The company's response to plastic waste concerns includes participation in extended producer responsibility schemes and partnerships with recycling infrastructure providers.
Independent Recognition: Coca-Cola has been recognized in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices and received ratings from CDP for climate and water disclosure. The company is not B Corp certified at the group level.
The Coca-Cola Company's sustainability strategy centers on environmental progress across water stewardship, packaging waste reduction, emissions reduction, and sustainable agriculture. The company's approach integrates environmental responsibility with business operations, focusing on measurable targets and interconnected actions across its global value chain.
Water replenishment represents a cornerstone of Coca-Cola's environmental initiatives. Since 2015, the company has returned more than 100% of the water used in its finished products globally, on an aggregate level, back to nature and communities. The company aims to return 100% of the total water used in each of its more than 200 high-risk locations across the Coca-Cola system by 2035, using the World Resources Institute Aqueduct 4.0 tool to identify and prioritize water-stressed areas.
Packaging waste reduction initiatives operate under two pillars: Design and Partner to Collect. Coca-Cola targets using 35% to 40% recycled material in its primary packaging, including increasing recycled plastic use to 30% to 35% globally by 2035. The company aims to help ensure the collection of 70% to 75% of the equivalent number of bottles and cans introduced into the market annually by 2035, supporting circular economy principles and reducing packaging waste.
Climate action includes ambitious emissions reduction targets aligned with a 1.5°C trajectory by 2035 from a 2019 baseline. The company is taking comprehensive action to mitigate climate change impacts across its operations, supply chain, and distribution networks. This target excludes acquired businesses such as BODYARMOR, CHI, Costa, doğadan, fairlife, and innocent, which the company expects to integrate into its 1.5°C trajectory over time.
Sustainable agriculture initiatives focus on creating systemic change in agricultural supply chains, recognizing that product quality and integrity depend on thriving farming communities and ecosystems. Coca-Cola works with suppliers and partners to address interrelated issues including water security, climate resilience, and emissions reduction. The company supports initiatives that create nexus solutions for sustainable farming practices and agricultural supply chain transformation.
The company's ethical framework encompasses responsible business practices, community engagement, and corporate governance. Coca-Cola maintains comprehensive policies covering human rights, labor practices, supplier standards, and ethical conduct across its global operations. The company implements supplier codes of conduct, regular audits, and compliance programs to ensure ethical business practices throughout its value chain.
Social responsibility programs include the Coca-Cola Foundation, which supports community water initiatives, education programs, and economic development projects in communities where the company operates. The company engages in disaster relief efforts, community health programs, and youth development initiatives worldwide.
Coca-Cola publishes annual sustainability reports detailing environmental performance, progress toward targets, and challenges faced in achieving sustainability goals. The company maintains transparency through CDP disclosures for climate and water, participation in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices, and regular stakeholder engagement on sustainability issues.