Coca-Cola Company and WWF are helping vulnerable communities build resilience to climate change and water stresses
For more than a decade, The Coca-Cola Company and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) have partnered to help ensure healthy, thriving freshwater basins around the world. This water stewardship work began in 11 freshwater basins and expanded to programs in 50 countries.
The groundbreaking partnership, which has become a best practice for corporate and non-profit collaborations, has driven collective action with governments, local communities and other businesses to ensure these basins are protected into the future.
The partnership work extends beyond water to improving environmental performance across Coca-Cola’s supply chain, including reducing emissions and helping the company reimagine how agricultural ingredients are sourced and plastic packaging is recycled. Together, the partners are also helping vulnerable communities build resilience to climate change and water stresses.
In August 2021, Coca-Cola and WWF renewed their global partnership for three years. The work will span all nine of Coca-Cola’s operating units and over 50 of the approximately 100 countries where WWF’s network operates. The partnership will also build collective action by catalyzing the investment of other stakeholders around the world, with the goal of engaging over 200 organisations.
“Our partnership with WWF has made meaningful progress in addressing complex issues and challenges in our world, focused primarily on the water in our communities. I’ve had the opportunity to travel to river basins where we work and see the positive outcomes of this journey for local communities and our business,” said Bea Perez, Senior Vice President and Chief Communications, Sustainability and Strategic Partnerships Officer, The Coca-Cola Company.
“There is more to be done. We believe true change can be achieved with additional partners, support and investment to drive lasting positive changes for our planet.”
“WWF works with the private sector to reduce footprints and reach scale in tackling the problems of water scarcity, climate change and loss of nature. The past 14 years of our work with The Coca-Cola Company have spanned over 50 countries. We’re proud of the results we’ve achieved,” said Carter Roberts, President and CEO, World Wildlife Fund.
“Since the dual crises of climate change and nature loss loom larger than ever, we’re raising ambition in the next phase of our partnership—to build resilient communities and ecosystems that can meet the challenges ahead. There’s no time to waste.”
The partnership will drive investments in nature that are successful today and are resilient to climate change tomorrow, with the aim to yield conservation and business returns into the future.
