Reducing Carbon in Our Value Chain
An Ambitious Goal
10-02-2018
Goal:
Reduce the carbon footprint of "the drink in your hand” by 25 percent by 2020 against a 2010 baseline.
Progress:
In 2017, it is estimated we reduced the CO2 embedded in theCoca‑Cola“drink in your hand” by 19% below 2010 levels*.
At Coca‑Cola, we continue to evaluate and make changes in our operations and throughout the Coca‑Cola system value chain to reduce our climate impact. This is reflected in our decision to bring several sustainability initiatives under one goal to reduce the carbon footprint of the "drink in your hand” by 25 percent by 2020, a goal we set in 2013. Progress toward reducing the greenhouse gas emissions across our manufacturing processes, packaging formats, delivery fleet, refrigeration equipment and ingredient sourcing is now being measured toward the “drink in your hand” goal.
This is reflected in our decision to bring several sustainability initiatives under one goal to reduce the carbon footprint of the "drink in your hand” by 25 percent by 2020, a goal we set in 2013.
Our business unit leaders and bottling partners have set draft reduction targets through 2020 and have been given the flexibility to look across our value chain to implement locally relevant programs designed to help meet their targets. To empower global managers to reach this goal, we have developed a Carbon Scenario Planner to assist in standardizing a forecast methodology for carbon in the system supply chain and to support regional target setting.
In 2014, our business unit leaders utilized the Carbon Scenario Planner to evaluate a portfolio of carbon reduction interventions and develop initial annual reduction targets. The same year, we also entered an assurance readiness process with a third-party assurance provider to assess the program design and reporting processes related to the “drink in your hand” goal.
We have since implemented a number of recommendations arising from this assessment. As part of our work to reduce our carbon footprint, we aim to reduce the greenhouse emissions of our distribution trucking fleet, the source of about 4 percent of our value chain emissions. Our global system’s fleet, which includes trucks operated by our Company and bottling partners, emitted an estimated2.2 million metric tons of greenhouse gases in 2016, and we are making steady progress in reducing the emissions of our fleet.
Though they currently compose a small portion of our fleet, we continue to add delivery trucks powered with a mix of alternative fuels, including electricity, natural gas, diesel electric and biodiesel.
Sustainable packaging and recycling, along with sustainable sourcing, experienced both positive movement and challenges.
*The 19 percent calculation of progress toward our “drink in your hand” goal has been internally vetted using accepted and relevant scientific and technical methodologies, but those methodologies are evolving. We are working to simplify our data collection and measuring systems, and plan to have our data externally verified by an independent third party in future years. At that time, we will also revisit our 2015-2017 estimates to ensure accuracy and make any updates or necessary corrections, to our public reporting.