A community partnership -- Commitment to the future
A community partnership -- Commitment to the future
Coca-Cola has a long history of community service, ranging from disaster relief to job creation and training, according to Mugijanto, President Commissioner of Coca-Cola Amatil Indonesia.
In-house doctors at Coca-Cola plants across the country regularly provide medical advice and assistance to surrounding villages. A recent example was a health care seminar for women and children living near the company's Central Java bottling plant in Semarang. At the workshops, company doctors counseled women on pregnancy and issued free immunizations.
To mark this year's Moslem festival of Idul Fitri (1416H), Coca-Cola executives visited Yayasan Pembinaan dan Asuhan Bunda (Orphans Foundation) in the central Jakarta district of Menteng. The foundation cares for about 6,000 orphans ranging in age from babies to college students. Its services include scholarships and education assistance. The company donated Rp 20 from each cup of Coke bought at a select group of fast-food outlets during the fund-raising period, resulting in a total donation of Rp 7.5 million. In addition, the foundation was given a free supply of Coca-Cola until the end of the year.
In 1993, the company's Lampung plant in southern Sumatra was quick to respond to one of the archipelago's most devastating earthquakes in recent years. The quake, which measured 6.5 on the Richter scale, killed at least 200 people, left 3,000 seriously injured and destroyed several thousand homes and public buildings. Communication and transport were crippled and supplies had to be airlifted to remote areas.
To help speed up reconstruction, the Lampung plant presented victims with 2,000 meters of plastic sheeting for emergency tents, 640 kilograms of nails, 1,500 trees, 200 lanterns and 200 tool kits.
"We consider ourselves firmly a part of the community," said Mugijanto. "That's what being a responsible corporate citizen is about."
The company is also a firm supporter of social events. This year, for the third time in a row, it plans to sponsor the annual Jakarta Fair. The event is the largest of its kind in Indonesia, attracting more than two million visitors annually.
Last year, Coca-Cola sponsored a laser vision show at the fair. Imported specially from Australia, the display became a highlight of the event with thousands of images displayed nightly on a giant screen.
Economically, Coca-Cola plays an invaluable role in employment creation. "Overseas studies have shown that for every one person employed by Coca-Cola, 11 jobs are created," Mugijanto said. "But a recent study here suggests this figure is closer to 20 in Indonesia."
Domestically, PT Coca-Cola Indonesia is the largest buyer of bottles from the government-owned glass supplier, PT Iglas, and is one of the biggest purchasers of Indonesian sugar. As one of the nation's biggest advertisers, the company uses Indonesian contractors for the production of television commercials and other media material.
To assist young people, it also runs a summer work-experience program for high school students. Up to 150 trainees are sent to various warehouses and the head office in Jakarta where they gain valuable hands-on knowledge of sales and marketing, vehicle maintenance, administration and production.