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Corporate Social Responsibility
News
9.26.2007 - 02:00pm ET
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Clinton Global Initiative Recognizes Coca-Cola Brazil's Rainforest Water Program
(CSRwire) The Brazilian Rainforest Water Program reforests riverbanks to
improve water quality and quantity in watersheds
Initial phase to be implemented by the SOS Mata Atlântica (Atlantic
Forest) Foundation
Resources provided by Coca-Cola Brazil, manufacturers and partners,
in addition to the future sale of carbon credits
NEW YORK - September 26, 2007 - One of the most important international
forums for sustainable development, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI)
recognizes the Coca-Cola Brazil Institute's Rainforest Water Program. In
addition to gathering some of today's most important political and
business leaders, CGI also involves the participation of social and
environmental organizations and movements that perform important work in
various parts of the world. The president of Coca-Cola Brazil, Brian
Smith, and the managing-director of the Coca-Cola Brazil Institute, Marco
Simões, will represent the program at CGI together with Heinz Center
president, Tom Lovejoy.
The program will receive the CGI Special Recognition Certificate after the
panel entitled "Protecting Tropical Forests," to be held on September 26,
from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., EDT. "Brazil is a key country when it comes
to the environment, and I am confident that the program will interest
other international partners," said Brian Smith. "The Brazilian Rainforest
Water Program represents one of the Coca-Cola Brazil System activities
geared toward the environment and we hope that it can make a difference in
the recovery of watersheds and also benefit the surrounding
communities."
The program promotes the recovery of watersheds by replanting riparian
forests. Such actions fall in line with the objectives of the Coca-Cola
Company, which announced a partnership with WWF on World Environment Day
to recover the world's seven main watersheds and become neutral in terms
of water use. The company also used the occasion to establish goals for
water use, summarized by "The Three Rs:" Reduce, Recycle and Replenish.
From 2008, The Coca-Cola Company will establish global goals on the
"Reduce" platform to become the most efficient global company of water use
in its sector. For "Recycling," the goal until 2010 is to return all of the
water used in the plant processes to levels that support aquatic life and
agriculture. "Replenish" means that the company will support projects
associated with protecting water sources and community access to the
natural good, rainwater collection, reforestation and efficient
agricultural use.
In May, the Institute began to plant trees in Brazil as part of the third
platform, Replenish. It also sequesters carbon by planting trees and
collaborates for a more pleasant climate by increasing native
vegetation.
The program was designed following the rules of the Kyoto Protocol, which
includes the recovery of devastated forest areas. Therefore, the program
emerged already with an additional possibility for resources to ensure its
sustainability. That is why the program's implementation was preceded by
phases of study, research and planning, including physical and chemical
analyses of the river waters. To design and plan the program, the
coordinators first identified the region’s needs and the availability of
the material and technical resources required for its implementation.
In its first phase alone, set to last five years, the Brazilian program
will promote the replanting of 3.3 million seedlings of native species
along a 3,000-hectare area, involving investments of R$ 27 million (US$
13.5 million) until 2011. The SOS Atlantic Forest Foundation (Fundação
SOS Mata Atlântica), one of Brazil's most important environmental NGOs,
is the partner responsible during the first phase of the program for
mobilizing the landowners, promoting social engagement, monitoring the
water quality (involving the participation of schools) and raising the
local population's awareness as to the need to conserve rivers and
forests. It therefore promotes educational activities and invites students
and civil society organizations from the neighboring cities to help measure
the quality of the river waters over the long term, using kits with
chemical and physical reagents and monitoring the results. This action
directly involves at least 800 local residents.
"Society in general and the local population in particular must take an
active role to ensuring the development of an environmental management
program," said Mario Mantovani, director of the SOS Mata Atlântica
Foundation, which is dedicated to preserving the region with the most
degraded nature on Brazilian territory. "This participation is important
not only to ensure the program's success, but also for citizens to
understand the benefits of the forest in their daily lives and in terms of
each one's quality of life. People need to understand that the quantity and
quality of the water they drink, the air they breathe and many other issues
are, to a certain degree, decided inside the forest."
The pilot project was initiated with seedling in Serra do Japi, Alto
Tietê, in São Paulo, the country’s most populated State and one which
faces problems in terms of the quantity and quality of water available for
collection and use.
"It is easy to defend the environment on the territory of others," said
Brazilian Minister of the Environment, Marina Silva. "What is difficult is
defending it on our own. I am pleased that we are here with the purpose of
helping environment and I congratulate the Coca-Cola Brazil Institute on
this initiative."
The programs also includes the sponsorship of Coca-Cola FEMSA, the
authorized manufacturer in Mexico, Argentina, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa
Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela and in the regions of São Paulo and
Mato Grosso do Sul in Brazil. The world’s largest Coca-Cola plant in
terms of production capacity is headquartered in the city of Jundiaí, in
a region near Serra do Japi, and belongs to FEMSA.
The Coca-Cola Brazil Institute
The Coca-Cola Brazil Institute coordinates the country wise social and
environmental projects developed by the Coca-Cola Brazil System. Its
Advisory Board is responsible for advising the Institute’s management,
orienting economic, social and financial policies and forming opinions on
the materials submitted by the entity’s Board of Directors.
Coca-Cola Brazil Institute activities prioritize programs in the areas of
education, the environment and well-being. The main programs associated
with the institute are the Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program and the
"Recycle, Win" Program, in addition to the new Brazilian Rainforest Water
Program.
Coca-Cola Brazil System
The Coca-Cola Brazil System, formed by Coca-Cola and 17 Brazilian
manufacturing groups, directly employs over 34,000 workers, indirectly
generating some 310,000 jobs. It currently acquires R$ 3.7 billion (US$
1.9 billion) in products and services and collects R$ 4 billion (US$ 2.1
billion) in taxes in Brazil. The Coca-Cola Brazil System has invested more
than R$ 3.5 billion (US$ 1.8 billion) in Brazil over the past five years
and is present in seven segments of the Brazilian non-alcoholic beverage
sector – waters, teas, soft drinks, juices, energetic drinks and
isotonic and dairy beverages, with a line featuring 55 different products,
including regular flavors and low calorie versions.
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