World's top soft drink maker is an environmental pioneer

World's top soft drink maker is an environmental pioneer

Conscious of its role as a leading producer of consumer goods, Coca-Cola is one of the pioneers of corporate environmental awareness in Indonesia. "From our experience overseas, we are able to ensure our facilities conform to international guidelines on the environment," said Richard Brooks, President Director of Coca-Cola Amatil Indonesia. "We were the first beverage maker to switch to 'stay-on tabs' for aluminum cans, and one of the first to make the shift to environmentally friendly refrigeration equipment."

The company's first effort was to hire Indonesian environmental specialist PT Tirtakreasi Amrita to design a US$400,000 biological waste-water treatment plant in Bali.

The plant uses aeration to sift waste water and neutralize its pH content. The end product is then channeled into a fish pond. Similar facilities are now a feature at all of the company's key plants.

Coca-Cola's efforts recently received official recognition when its Medan facility became one of only 10 plants to be awarded a "green" rating by the Ministry of Environment.

However, the company's environmental campaign stretches beyond the factory perimeters. In the past, it has conducted "How to keep the environment clean" campaigns in several provinces. These included art competitions in Yogyakarta, Central Java, and in Denpasar, Bali, which were aimed at raising awareness among young people.

In addition, it embarks on annual tree-planting programs and contributes to Jakarta's Green Project. The Coca-Cola bottler in Jakarta has also taken part in efforts to clean-up one of the city's premier tourist areas, Sunda Kelapa Harbor. To help promote responsible garbage disposal, it has presented trash cans to municipal authorities, including 50 to the city of Bandung.

It was also one of the sponsors of a book on Ragunan Zoo, an important site for the breeding of endangered species. "We don't take environmental concerns lightly," Brooks said. "After all, our products are about enjoying the outdoors, not spoiling it.