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.