The Coca-Cola Company Joins Business Leaders Initiative on Human Rights
ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
The Coca-Cola Company announced today that it has joined the Business Leaders Initiative on Human Rights (BLIHR), a group of companies examining how best to apply human rights principles in the business context.
The Company's support for BLIHR was expressed in a letter sent by E. Neville Isdell, chairman and chief executive officer of The Coca-Cola Company, to Mary Robinson, Honorary Chair of BLIHR.
"At The Coca-Cola Company, we believe that an unwavering commitment to human rights is fundamental to the way we conduct our business. In our Company's Human Rights Statement and Workplace Rights Policy we pledge to manage our business around the world in accordance with the highest standards of integrity with a specific emphasis on the rights of individuals in the workplace," said Neville Isdell, Chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company. "We look forward to building our own understanding of how best to uphold human rights within our workplaces and to actively participating in and contributing to BLIHR's important work."
The Business Leaders Initiative on Human Rights (BLIHR) was founded in 2003 by seven companies and is chaired by Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. The Coca-Cola Company's announcement today brings the total number of members to 14. For more information on BLIHR, visit the organization's website at http://www.blihr.org.
"The Coca-Cola Company joining BLIHR represents a real opportunity to demonstrate the universality of human rights across all nations," said Mary Robinson, Honorary Chair of BLIHR. "We are excited by this and look forward to the serious work ahead, in particular exploring the business and human rights context of emerging economies."
BLIHR is an international business-led initiative designed to help lead and develop the corporate response to human rights. Its primary aim is to find "practical ways of applying the aspirations of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights within a business context and to inspire other businesses to do likewise." The Initiative has reported annually on its progress towards its publicly stated mission and works closely with many other businesses, governments and civil society organizations.
The Coca-Cola Company is the world's largest beverage company. Along with Coca-Cola, recognized as the world's most valuable brand, the Company markets four of the world's top five soft drink brands, including Diet Coke(R), Fanta(R) and Sprite(R), and a wide range of other beverages, including diet and light soft drinks, waters, juices and juice drinks, teas, coffees and sports drinks. Through the world's largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy the Company's beverages at a rate exceeding 1.3 billion servings each day. For more information about The Coca-Cola Company, please visit our corporate website at www.thecoca-colacompany.com.
The Business Leaders Initiative on Human Rights (BLIHR) is a business-led program to help lead and develop the corporate response to human rights. For more information about BLIHR, visit the organization's website at www.blihr.org.
Source: The Coca-Cola Company
Released August 23, 2007