Environmental Sustainability in Coca Cola

Abstract

Environmental conservation is a critical challenge for companies operating in the manufacturing sector. The problem is experienced by all manufacturing companies regardless of their location, especially those who are producing beverages due to the nature of raw materials required to make such products. Coca-Cola is one of the largest multinational corporations that is leading in plastic pollution and carbon emissions in the world. The company’s large size and presence in many parts of the world has resulted in devastating environmental impacts in many countries. Coca-Cola sells 1.9 billion liters of beverages in more than 200 countries daily. Besides water consumption, Coca-Cola is also facing sustainability issues in its packaging material. It is worth noting that the company mainly relies on plastic packaging which is the major contributor of littering in landfills and water bodies. Low recycling rates have contributed to high level of plastic pollution by Coca-Cola. Being one of the top producers of plastics in the world, the company contributes a great share to 8 million plastic bottles that are found in marine environment. Break Free From Plastic has ranked the company as a top contributor of plastic pollution for many consecutive years. Coca-Cola has a made a significant step in environmental sustainability through the 100% plant-based bottle innovation. Since the release of this sustainable packaging in 2023, the company has managed to reduce plastic pollution and environmental degradation in areas that serve beverages contained in plant-based bottles (Coca-Cola, 2023, p. 2). The main advantage of using bioplastics is that it reduces the pressure of extracting virgin materials or fossil fuels. When the company no longer needs petrochemical materials, environmental degradation from mining activities reduces. However, the innovation presents many challenges to Coca-Cola due to the nature of materials used to make plant-based bottles. Unlike traditional plastic bottles that are strong, durable and provides protection during transportation, plant-based bottles cannot withstand the logistics of transport and environmental conditions during storage and transportation. Recycling of packaging materials can be easy or complex depending on the nature of the packaging. Even though a circular economy can help Coca-Cola to become more environmentally sustainable, it depends on the material. Some research studies claim that complex materials consume more energy during recycling, thus, reducing the efficiency of a circular economy.