SUSTAINABILITY
A better shared future
We aim to create a more sustainable and better shared future. To make a difference in people's lives, communities and our planet by doing business the right way.
We’re taking a holistic approach to sustainability focused on social, environmental and economic stewardship. Only through a comprehensive approach can we make transformational and enduring change.
Where we're focusing our efforts
Latest sustainability news
- The Coca‑Cola Foundation grants $1.3 million USD to Wateraid in PNG
- Backing bold ideas: Coca‑Cola NZ supports Young Navigators
- Plastic bottle and Can recycling programme launched in Tonga
- New partnership with Great Barrier Reef Foundation
PACKAGING
Taking action on packaging
The Coca‑Cola Company offers beverages in a variety of packaging formats – glass and plastic bottles, aluminium cans and refillable packaging. Each of these can play a role in helping reduce packaging waste and emissions. We are focusing efforts to use more recycled material and supporting collection rates, both of which require enabling policies and the growth of collection infrastructure. We aim to focus on measurable and interconnected actions under two pillars:
- Design to be recycled
- Collecting packaging with our partners
Where we’re making a difference
- All of our plastic bottles under 1 litre in NZ are made from 100% recycled plastic (excluding caps and labels) All of our plastic bottles under 1 litre and all of our water bottles in all sizes are made with 100% recycled plastic (excluding caps and labels).
- 62% of our packaging globally is collected for recycling**
- ~1 in 2 Coca‑Cola® purchases in New Zealand have no sugar
- 90% of our packaging globally is recyclable
- Returned 148% of the water used in our finished beverages globally to nature and communities in 2023.
Frequently asked questions
A: We design our packaging to be recyclable and aim to increase the percentage of recycled material in our primary packaging (plastic, glass and aluminum), including the use of more recycled plastic. The use of recycled content can also help reduce our related potential emissions.
In New Zealand all our plastic bottles under 1 litre are made from 100% recycled plastic (excluding caps and labels)
We continue to work to help collect our bottles and cans so they can be recycled or reused. In New Zealand we support a Container Return Scheme, which gives our cans and bottles the best chance of becoming a can and bottle again.
A: We have operations nearly everywhere in the world—in more than 200 countries and territories. That means we have a responsibility to accelerate our efforts to help address water stress, protect local water resources and help build community climate resilience—communities’ ability to adapt to these changing conditions.
Since 2015, we have met or exceeded our goal to return more than 100% of the water used in our finished products globally, on an aggregate level, to nature and communities*.
* With support from The Coca‑Cola Foundation, the company’s owned and independent bottling partners and independent suppliers and partners.
Globally, we are taking action to help mitigate the impacts caused by climate change, which poses risks to our business and our stakeholders. Our approach considers the links between our sustainability goals to reduce emissions—from sourcing of ingredients to packaging to water use.
We aim to reduce our scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions in line with a 1.5°C trajectory by 2035, from a 2019 baseline*. Achieving this ambition requires additional investments in new technologies and renewable sources and working with bottling partners and suppliers to reduce their direct emissions, which are the company’s Scope 3 emissions.