Our Company
Replenish
Goal: Expand global support of healthy watersheds and sustainable community water partnerships.
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We have a role to play in helping the communities we rely upon. We know that to make a meaningful difference, we must focus our efforts beyond the confines of our own bottling plants.
Today, nearly one-sixth of the world's population -- more than 1 billion people -- don't have access to safe drinking water. Approximately 2.6 billion don't have adequate sanitation. Due to the issues surrounding water, billions of people are vulnerable to disease and food insecurity.
We work closely with our supply chain, local communities, governments and nongovernment organizations to replenish water to nature and communities. In fact,
since 2005 we have been
involved in more than 250 community water partnerships in 70 countries to support locally relevant initiatives, such as watershed protection; expanding community drinking water and sanitation access; agricultural water use efficiency; and education and awareness programs.
In 2009, we asked respected experts to work with us to calculate the water benefits of these projects.
Read more on this groundbreaking science and our community water partnerships.
Working with World Wildlife Fund, we are helping to measurably conserve seven of the world's most critical freshwater river basins. In 2007, The
Southeastern U.S. Rivers and Streams
A globally significant center of freshwater biodiversity
The Southeastern U.S. Rivers and Streams work focuses on the Tennessee, Cumberland and Mobile River basins. Water reuse practices have become a focus, with pilot projects underway in several areas. In addition, more than 1,500 rain barrels fromCoca-Cola have been distributed to capture water run off during rain events, which has initiated a national launch to local watershed groups and bottlers.
Lake Niassa (Malawi)
Possibly the most unique -- and as yet unspoiled -- freshwater ecosystem on the planet
The work in this Coastal East Africa region centers on securing the livelihoods of local communities and conserving the unique biological diversity of Lake Niassa (Malawi). Work includes the establishment of a reserve, training and accrediting community rangers to patrol the area, and certifying community fishing councils to oversee fishing licenses and registrations. To read about the Partnership's recent visit to Lake Niassa and the work underway to protect this unique resource, visit WWF's Lake Niassa Expedition Diary.
Mekong
The freshwater source of 60 million people in southeast Asia and home to more fish species than any river other than the Amazon
The partnership work in the Mekong is centered on influencing national policies for freshwater resource conservation through community management and local sustainable agricultural practices, targeted on two sub-basins -- one in Thailand (Chi River Subcatchment), the other in Vietnam (Plain of Reeds). Projects include constructing local village nurseries, planting trees for erosion control and advocating reform of wetlands policy.
Yangtze
The lifeblood of central China, supporting over 400 million people and countless fish and wildlife species
The partnership goal in the Yangtze is to inspire better governance and sustainable river management practices across the basin. One partnership initiative is focused on training local residents on a scorecard that raises awareness and actively engages participants in tracking environmental indicators over time; another is aimed at developing low cost pollution control measures.
Mesoamerican Reef Catchments
The cloud forests of the Sierra de las Minas Biosphere Reserve of Guatemala, source of water for dozens of local communities and a vital link in the ridges-to-reef ecosystem that supports the spectacular Mesoamerican Reefs
Demonstrating private investment benefits in freshwater conservation and river basin management is the emphasis of partnership initiatives in the river basins above the Mesoamerican Reef. To encourage water quality maintenance, the partnership helped create the Water Fund, which is supported by projects including reduction of household firewood consumption and fire control and prevention.
Danube
The freshwater hub of Europe
The Danube is known as Europe's lifeline and the world's most international river basin. The partnership work is helping to restore wetlands in Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary, providing critical habitat for the Danube's rich flora and fauna, restoring sturgeon migration across the Iron Gate Dams, and promoting and supporting solid river basin management through best practices exchange.
Rio Grande/Rio Bravo
An iconic river of the American southwest (the fastest growing region in the U.S.) and northern Mexico -- and the freshwater source for 10 million people
The Rio Grande (Rio Bravo in Mexico) flows 1,885 miles and serves as a natural boundary between the U.S. and Mexico. The partnership is working to improve environmental flows at seven key sites along the Rio Grande and its primary tributary, the Rio Conchos. Projects underway include control of thirsty invasive plant species and voluntary transfers of water rights.
In 2009, The Coca-Cola Company announced a $30 million commitment over the next six years to provide access to safe drinking water to communities throughout Africa through its Replenish Africa Initiative (RAIN). Implemented by The Coca-Cola Africa Foundation, RAIN will provide at least 2 million Africans with clean water and sanitation by 2015.
The Global Water Challenge (GWC) was founded with start-up support from The
In 2007, The Coca-Cola Company became one of the first six companies to commit to the CEO Water Mandate, a program designed to help companies better manage water use in their direct operations and throughout their supply chains. The guidelines of this mandate help frame the content of our water stewardship reporting. Read more.
Because we depend on local water supplies, understanding watersheds and how they work is extremely important to our business. We have developed plant-level training and management tools to help local employees and our bottling partners understand watershed issues and engage with communities, governments and conservation organizations to manage them.
Find out how we are working with USAID
to improve the sustainability of watersheds.