What is the Caribbean Pledge initiative?

The Caribbean Pledge initiative represents Coca‑Cola Caribbean System's vision for the region. Its primary objective is to ensure that the company's operations and brands are welcomed and desired in stores, states, countries, and households of consumers. Additionally, it aims to support these operations through regulations that enable sustainable business development.

We believe that the cycle of growth begins with consumer-centered brands, supported by an effective distribution system and by people who love the brands because of the social, economic, and environmental value they create.

Our goal is to communicate proactive commitments as a responsible company that seeks to make progress through collaborative efforts to create a positive impact on the communities and markets where we operate.

As a Company, we have undertaken important actions to refresh the world, make a difference, and grow through loved brands. 

The Caribbean Pledge focuses on five commitments, that guide our behaviors and decisions towards environmental, social and economic development in the region.

Becoming a total beverage company: 

• We pledge to have reduce calorie and zero sugar options as the protagonists in our portfolio, and our actions, drive our innovation efforts and our marketing campaigns.
• We commit to significantly accelerate our offering of a wide range of beverages, including reduced and non-caloric options.
• We commit to put all efforts behind aggressively growing Coca‑Cola no-sugar options in all Caribbean markets.  

Having clear and informative labels:

•     We commit to facilitate consumers choices according to different lifestyles by having clear and informative labels. 
• We acknowledge that Labels can be an effective vehicle to communicate and educate consumers on making informed consumption decisions. Therefore, we commit to educate consumers on understanding labels, getting to know more about our ingredients and our ESG programs. 
• For this purpose, we have included a QR code in our communications that lands in this Coca‑Cola corporate website you are seeing now, which is open for the general public. As you can witness, we have included content in this page that talks about how to read the labels, about our ingredients and nutritional facts of our products. The QR code will also be included in the labels of selected products from our portfolio.
• We will continue communicating the contents of our products in a transparent and informative manner. 

Continue leading the way with our Responsible Marketing Policy and not market to children under 13:

• We commit to continue respecting the role of parents and caregivers as the decision makers for what their children consume. 
• We do not advertise in any media which directly targets children.
• Our marketing communications are designed in a way that appeals only to adults. 
• We commit to having commercial-free schools for children and we commit to limit the direct sale of beverages with added sugars in primary schools. 

Protecting our environment: 

• We commit to be protagonists in environmental sustainability efforts across the region, centered on collection, recycling and reusability. 
• We know that our World Without Waste goals are only achieved through a Caribbean Without Waste, therefore we commit firmly to advance towards our global goals:
• Make all our packaging 100% recyclable by 2025. 
• Use at least 50% recycled material in our packaging by 2030.    
• 40% of the total volume we sell in LATAM must be in Refillable packages by 2023
• Collect for recycling one bottle and can for each one we sell by 2030.
• We will continue working together to support a healthy, debris-free environment and oceans.
• We commit to partner with organizations, governments, industry, and our customers to create a waste-free environment.
• We commit to boost collections programs in the countries that currently have them and also, to place efforts and resources behind understanding how we can support local authorities and stakeholders to bring collection programs to new areas and countries.
• We commit to continue our beach cleaning, river cleaning and/or mangroves restoration efforts throughout the Caribbean.

Promoting regional prosperity: 

• We commit to support the continued development of the communities we operate in through education and economic empowerment initiatives. Our objective is to become a supporting pillar for regional prosperity through education programs. 
• We commit to being allies of our customers and helping them to thrive. And also to continue making a positive social, economic, and cultural impact.

In conclusion, through the Caribbean Pledge, Coca‑Cola Caribbean System aims to become an undisputed reference in ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) in the industry and ensure that this agenda becomes its competitive advantage in the market. The company commits to demonstrate leadership, proactively mitigate risks, and leverage its positive agenda to create a more sustainable business and a better shared future that makes a difference in the lives of people, communities, and the planet.