Coca-Cola Invests in Women Who Advance the World
Company and Foundation Increase Focus on Women Entrepreneurship, Empowerment
ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Empowering women to thrive is a worldwide commitment of The Coca-Cola Company and one of three global priorities for The Coca-Cola Foundation. Its importance reverberates around the world, resonating especially in North America.
More than $2 million in grants from The Coca-Cola Foundation was directed to organizations focused on women’s empowerment, entrepreneurship and other programs uniquely impacting women. The Company provided further support by contributing more than $1 million towards women’s empowerment programs and initiatives, with a focus on those impacting women of color. The Center for Black Women’s Wellness, the Adelante Movement and the Hispanic Women’s Corporation’s Professional Development and Leadership Institute received funding to teach core entrepreneurial skills, financial literacy and economic self-sufficiency.
Together, the Company and its Foundation invested in a $1 million partnership with the National Urban League, SER – Jobs for Progress National, Inc. and Rainbow/PUSH Coalition. Through this partnership, women in 10 U.S. cities will receive access to financial learning, job training and entrepreneurship development.
This support underscores the Company’s Office of Global Supplier Diversity work to expand its modular-training initiative, the Supplier Training & Empowerment Program (STEP). The program addresses the barriers that prevent women-owned suppliers from sustaining and growing their businesses.
“We know that empowering women to be entrepreneurs and leaders yields dividends of community growth, prosperity and sustainability,” said Lori George Billingsley, Vice President, Community Relations, Coca-Cola North America.
In 2010, the Company launched its 5by20 initiative with a goal to empower five million women entrepreneurs across the global Coca-Cola value chain by 2020. The initiative aims to help women overcome barriers to business success by providing access to business skills training, financial resources and mentors. At the end of 2013, more than 550,000 women across 44 countries had been impacted since the program’s inception.
Other organizations receiving support for women’s empowerment initiatives include:
- Center for Black Women Wellness, Atlanta, GA, $35,000
- Girls Inc., New York, NY, $250,000
- National Coalition of Black Civic Participation, Washington, DC, $100,000
- Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship, New York, NY, $100,000
- The Adelante Movement, New York, NY, $150,000
- National Organization of Black Elected Legislative Women, Washington, DC, $25,000
- Hispanic Women’s Corporation, Phoenix, AZ $10,000
- League of United Latin American Citizens Women’s Conference, Washington, DC, $5,000
- Latin American Association, Atlanta, GA, $300,000
- Mexican - American Opportunity Foundation Women’s Forum, Montebello, CA, $10,000
About The Coca-Cola Foundation
The Coca-Cola Foundation has awarded more than $660 million to support global sustainable community initiatives. These initiatives include water stewardship, women’s empowerment, active healthy living, and education. For more information about The Coca-Cola Foundation, please go to http://www.coca-colacompany.com/our-company/the-coca-cola-foundation.
About The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world's largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands. Led by Coca-Cola, one of the world's most valuable and recognizable brands, our Company's portfolio features 17 billion-dollar brands including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply, Georgia and Del Valle. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, ready-to-drink coffees, and juices and juice drinks. Through the world's largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy our beverages at a rate of more than 1.9 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, support active, healthy living, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. Together with our bottling partners, we rank among the world's top 10 private employers with more than 700,000 system associates. For more information, visit Coca-Cola Journey at www.coca-colacompany.com, follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/CocaColaCo, visit our blog, Coca-Cola Unbottled, at www.coca-colablog.com or find us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/the-coca-cola-company.
The Coca-Cola Company
Katelyn Jackson, 404-676-2034
KJackson@coca-cola.com
Source: The Coca-Cola Company
Released December 18, 2014