Covid-19 Response - How Coca‑Cola Pakistan is Helping Frontline Responders and Communities
30/03/2020
Our company’s deepest sympathies go out to all who have been impacted by coronavirus outbreaks throughout the world. These are challenging times for everyone, but our company’s 134-year history assures us of one thing: We, Our people, and the Communities we proudly call home will rebound, just as we have after every other global crisis. We will all emerge stronger, more resilient and more united than ever.
At Coca‑Cola, we are doing our part to help prevent the further spread of the virus, while also supporting the needs of our customers, consumers, employees and communities. We have – and always will – put the health, safety and security of people first. Our approach is grounded in our company’s purpose, which ensures that we continuously strive to make a difference for the people in our communities and in our workplaces. We realize the role which Corporations need to play, bringing in collective wisdom and resources to support the fight against Covid-19.
Coca‑Cola System is playing its role in supporting the economic cycle, while coming forward to support the underprivileged communities and frontline health workers across Pakistan. Our health workers are on the front line of this war against Covid-19 and there is a dire need for providing more PPE (personal protective equipment), hence Coca‑Cola Pakistan is importing WHO standard PPE for health workers across the country, which includes hazmat suits, masks and goggles.
Within our communities, we want to support the daily wagers and the most-impacted tier of our society by providing food rations for 105,000 people across Pakistan through extensive partnerships with local Government and Pakistan Army. These bags will include food items for 2 weeks for a family of 5 persons. Staying hydrated is important for fighting this virus, as per CDC (Center for Disease Control), therefore, Coca‑Cola is providing clean drinking water to health workers and patients across special care wards.
Coca‑Cola has also designed a Customer Community Program focused on rehabilitating the impacted retailers (low/med tier). Pakistan will eventually win the war against Coronavirus, however the economy will be hard hit. Recognizing the need for a strong rehabilitation phase, we will be investing funds for gradual recovery of smaller retail segment. This will help secure jobs and provide opportunities for new employment. Like other FMCGs, Coca‑Cola is also experiencing negative business trajectory – but we remain resilient in times of unprecedented crisis.
We also recognize the difficulties being faced by small businesses, self-employed individuals and distributors of our goods. To ensure their business sustainability and securing jobs at threat, our bottler Coca‑Cola İçecek (CCI) will extend credit support up to Rs. 1 billion hundreds of thousands of customers. Moreover, we are committed to providing livelihood to our associates by protecting all jobs & fulfilling financial commitments despite economic slowdown and resulting losses. We are grateful for your leadership in this time. The strength of your institution will enable the system to provide relief and eventually recover from the dire effects of this crisis.
Apart from our relief package, Coca‑Cola is willing to serve shoulder-to-shoulder with NCOC (National Command & Control Center) in Pakistan. We have unique set of expertise in communications, marketing, advertising and can offer our manpower for any support in this regard.
No single company or Government can alone overcome a crisis of such magnitude, therefore every individual or organization must come forward to combine resources for uplifting the underprivileged communities. This is a rapidly changing situation that we are constantly monitoring. We are continuing to take guidance from governments and health officials, and we will adapt our efforts and responses around the world as needed.