Coca-Cola and bottling partners invest multi-million deal for African water security

17 Sep 2024 --- The Coca-Cola Company and its African bottling partners Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA), Equatorial Coca-Cola Bottling Company (ECCBC) and Coca-Cola HBC announced an investment of nearly US$25 million to address water-related challenges in Africa.

The effort, known as “The Coca-Cola System’s Africa Water Stewardship Initiative,” will span from 2024 to 2030 and aims to enhance water security across 20 African countries.

The work will be led by Global Water Challenge (GWC) and implemented with partners, including The Nature Conservancy, The International Union for Conservation of Nature and the World Wildlife Fund.

Karyn Harrington, vice president of public affairs, communications and sustainability at The Coca-Cola Company’s Africa operating unit, says: “As we face increasing water insecurity worldwide, with demand outstripping supply in many regions such as Africa, Coca-Cola is taking steps to help accelerate efforts to address water stress, protect local water resources and build community climate resilience.” 

“Our 2030 Water Security Strategy focuses on helping enhance water security where we operate, source ingredients and touch lives.”

This strategic effort is set to build upon the success of The Coca-Cola Foundation’s Replenish Africa Initiative (RAIN), which, between 2009 and 2019, improved access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene for six million people through 120 projects across more than 4,000 communities.

The initiative aims to protect and improve the health of critical watersheds while enhancing access to water and sanitation services in local communities. 

In addition to supporting Coca-Cola’s water strategy, the project is aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 6, which focuses on ensuring the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation. 

“We are proud to partner with The Coca-Cola Company and fellow bottlers on this critical initiative to help tackle water challenges across Africa. By working together, we can leverage the expertise of our partners and the knowledge of local communities to help create sustainable solutions that enhance water access and safeguard vital water resources,” says Sonia Ventosa, public affairs, communications and sustainability manager at ECCBC.