Appeal of Conscience Remarks

Muhtar Kent, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Coca-Cola Company
New York City, NY
September 22, 2009

As prepared for delivery

Thank you, Rabbi Schneier, and good evening, everyone.

Tonight, I am merely a proxy for the 1 million associates of The Coca-Cola Company and our 300 bottling company partners around the world who are deeply committed to our mission of refreshing the world... inspiring moments of optimism and happiness... and making a positive difference in the communities we are so proud to serve. This is their award, and I am humbled and privileged to represent them tonight.

For all of us in the Coca-Cola family, receiving this award from a gentleman and an organization who have played such a profound role in promoting inter-faith dialogue and cross-cultural understanding is truly an honor we will never forget.

Rabbi Schneier -- just as you recognize us tonight, we salute you and all the important programs that have been advanced by the Appeal of Conscience Foundation for these past 45 years.

Last year, I was in attendance when President Sarkozy, Mayor Bloomberg, Jeffrey Immelt and Serge Dassault were honored with these awards. Tonight, I am proud to be here with an icon not only of French business, but of global business -- Mr. Bernard Arnault. Bernard -- the great work LVMH: Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton is doing across the sustainability spectrum is an inspiration to all of us in the consumer goods business.

Our two companies share a common heritage of fiercely protecting and enhancing world-class brands. Indeed, today, like Coca-Cola, Louis Vuitton, Donna Karan, Dior, Dom Perignon and so many other LVMH brands are among the most recognized and respected in the world.

And speaking of Dom Perignon, the last time I was in Paris, I ordered an ice-cold Coca-Cola at a café and the waiter just smiled and said... "Ah, American Champagne."

At Coca-Cola, we also admire the sustainability leadership of our great retail partner, Carrefour, whom we are proud to work with to bring value and quality to consumers around the world. Congratulations, Bernard and everyone at LVMH!

We've also had the great fortune of working closely with Prime Minister Brown in the United Kingdom and around the world. As (name/title of PM's stand-in mentioned) , the Prime Minister has been among the world's leading voices in promoting sustainability -- and encouraging all of us to keep these efforts alive in this time of global economic difficulty.

This morning, I participated in the Opening Plenary of the Clinton Global Initiative. We talked at length about the Prime Minister's Business Call to Action and the imperative to bring new innovations and economic development to the developing world.

Last year, Coca-Cola made a commitment to the Business Call to Action to help create between 1,300 to 2,000 new independent distribution businesses in Africa by the end of 2010. This commitment will create between 5,000 to nearly 9,000 new jobs and generate revenue of 320 million to $520 million dollars.

These businesses are owned and operated by local entrepreneurs we helped train -- many of whom are getting their first taste of economic empowerment. I am proud to report that we are on track to fulfill that commitment this year.

Another issue that was discussed this morning -- and which has been mentioned tonight -- is the global financial crisis and its impact on business's sustainability efforts. Without question, the financial crisis has touched everyone. While some nations -- primarily China, India and Brazil -- have been more resilient than others... no one nation or business or individual has been immune from this global economic tsunami. We're in this together and the only way out of it is together.

This is also, in essence, the theme of the G-20 Summit convening in Pittsburgh this week. In a world that requires, above all else, much, much greater collaboration and understanding -- we can all learn from the example set by the Appeal of Conscience Foundation.

The challenges we face today: the economic challenges... the social challenges... the environmental challenges... can only be solved by building strong bridges of cooperation, empathy and trust among businesses, governments and civil society. This is not the time to scale back on sustainability investments and innovations.

As we endure a global financial crisis brought on largely by a series of broken promises, the virtues of trust and social responsibility beam brighter than the lights of Time Square. Indeed, today, trust is more valuable than gold.

Consider just a few alarming statistics. According to the most recent Edelman Trust Barometer, nearly two-thirds of informed citizens trust corporations less than they did a year ago. When respondents were asked about trust in business in general, only 38 percent said they trust business to do what is right -- a 20 percent drop over last year.

These, my friends, are among the lowest levels of trust ever recorded. I must say I am deeply troubled -- not surprised, but troubled -- by these findings. The implications for our companies, our brands and even our respective nations are profound.

On this last point, we would all do well to remember that in foreign affairs, corporate diplomacy is becoming as important as political diplomacy. As you all are very aware, anti-Americanism abroad has been a significant concern over the last several years. Over the past year, President Obama has done a great job in improving these attitudes but we still have long road ahead. The world needs a strong Brand America. And a strong Brand America needs not just strong political leadership but also strong business leadership oversees.

Like all of you, we at Coca-Cola believe in creating a better world through cross-cultural understanding. We think it is a noble and crucial calling.

On this final note, I would like to thank all of our Appeal of Conscience Foundation supporters. Your support and your passion for peace and tolerance inspires us and sends a powerful message in this time of such great need.

Thank you again... and thank you for this great honor.