Coca-Cola Vietnam was named among Vietnam’s four most sustainable companies at the Vietnam Corporate Sustainability Forum 2022, organized by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) in cooperation with the Vietnam Business Council for Sustainable Development (VBCSD). This is the seventh consecutive year the company has been honored as among the most sustainable companies in Vietnam.

Most companies today are working to rebuild from the pandemic and position themselves for a more sustainable future. This has resulted in significant investments in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) priorities over the past year. Many companies have been implementing outstanding sustainability activities making the work of the CSI-100 Board of Management particularly difficult to pick the top performers in the field.

According to Mr. Peeyush Sharma, CEO of Coca-Cola Beverage Vietnam Limited, 2022 saw significant sustainability investments by domestic and foreign enterprises. Being recognized as Vietnam’s fourth most sustainable business at the CSI Program is a great honor for Coca-Cola. The award validates its journey to sustainable development in Vietnam as it continues to stay laser-focused on its purpose to “Refresh the world and make a difference”. “To pursue our sustainable packaging vision of ‘A World Without Waste’, we will continue innovating and implementing partnership programs to enhance the lives of Vietnamese people and spread a spirit of positivity,” he said.

Contribution to Vietnam’s socio-economic development

Coca-Cola has remained persistent in its contribution to socio-economic recovery and development and creating a driving force for growth in the “new normal” in Vietnam.

It helps to give back more water to communities and nature than it uses in its finished beverages. With partners, Coca-Cola has helped to install water filtration systems at schools and has established social enterprises, known as EKOCENTERS, around the country providing approximately 10 million liters of free drinking water to 800,000 beneficiaries through advanced water purification technology.

In addition, the latest Coca-Cola beverage factory in Long An, which broke ground in October, will create more jobs and produce more skilled workers. With modern production lines and smart design elements, it will also contribute to Vietnam’s commitment to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. To contribute to environmental sustainability, the company continues to work towards its vision of ‘A World Without Waste’ with the goal of collecting and recycling every bottle and can it sells globally by 2030. It is also rolling out packaging innovations to promote a circular economy model.

Progress in Vietnam to realize vision of “A World Without Waste”

Throughout its 30 years of operations in the country, the company has launched several projects to deliver on its sustainability goals. Most recently, through its ambitious vision for “A World Without Waste”, Coca-Cola is making its packaging part of the circular economy through a strategy anchored in three interrelated goals: Design, Collect, and Partner.

In September, Coca-Cola Vietnam took another meaningful step towards advancing a circular economy by introducing bottles made from 100 per cent recycled PET plastic (rPET), except for caps and labels, around the country. The move helps it reduce new plastic usage by over 2,000 tonnes a year in Vietnam. Coca-Cola Vietnam is also leveraging the reach of its brands to inspire people to recycle, by placing a prominent RECYCLE ME message on all its packages. The company has also made its bottles easier to recycle by changing the iconic Sprite bottles from green to clear PET plastic.

In addition, Coca-Cola Vietnam is one of the founding members of the Packaging Recycling Organization Vietnam (PRO Vietnam), established to accelerate recycling around the country. It is also extending the reach of its Plastic Action Network program to Can Gio district (Ho Chi Minh City) in partnership with GreenHub, to bolster the local plastic waste management system and promote the formation of a circular economy model in southern Vietnam.

To raise awareness and find innovative solutions for plastic waste management at locations such as Cu Lao Cham and Cat Ba Island, Coca-Cola Vietnam has worked with UNESCO to support the launch of the Youth and Innovation for Ocean Initiatives project. The company has also partnered with The Ocean Cleanup to deploy a river cleanup system in the Can Tho River that extracts up to 400 kg of trash each day.

The recognition from VCCI of Coca-Cola as one of most sustainable companies in Vietnam provides major encouragement. Coca-Cola Vietnam remains committed to sustainable development by innovating in its local operations while helping protect the environment and giving back to communities. These ongoing projects, aligned with its purpose to “Refresh the world and make a difference”, encompass Coca-Cola’s drive towards sustainable development for a better shared future.