Coca-Cola HBC Cyprus delivered great performance in attaining environmental targets in 2020

Coca-Cola HBC Cyprus has coupled its growth to the attainment of strict sustainability targets. A member of the Coca-Cola HBC Group – which for seven consecutive years has been the leading beverages company in Europe according to the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) – Coca-Cola HBC Cyprus designs and implements initiatives and actions aimed at reducing its environmental footprint, always guided by the principles of sustainability and the cyclical economy.

Emissions reductions

Coca-Cola HBC Cyprus’ factories constantly track energy consumption, with a view to reducing it. In 2020 the Company’s factories registered a 14% decline in energy consumption compared to 2019. The Company has set a goal for 2025, by which time 50% of its overall energy consumption will derive from renewable and clean energy sources, while 100% of power supplied to its factories will be generated from renewables. Additionally, 44.4% of Coca-Cola HBC Cyprus’ refrigerators are high-performance, in this way contributing to reducing its energy footprint. The Company aims to further increase this metric to 50% by 2025.

Rational water management

Water, the source of all life, comprises the key ingredient in the company’s products. That is why the company implements strict standards and policies regarding sound water management. We continuously monitor and measure consumption, and also track and deal with water leakages. In 2020, some 989,000 litres of water were re-used and recycled at the company’s three productive units, while 25,168,608 litres were saved – translating into 25.6% less usage compared to 2019. In recognition of the steps and the procedures it implements, this year the company received certification from the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) for all its productive units.

Our vision for a world without waste

In 2018 at Davos, James Quincey, Chairman & CEO of The Coca‑Cola Company announced the company’s global vision for ‘A World Without Waste’ – an industry-first goal to collect and recycle the equivalent of every bottle or can it sells globally by 2030. It signals a renewed focus on the entire packaging lifecycle.

Having achieved its goal for designing 100% recyclable packaging in Cyprus, Coca-Cola HBC Cyprus is now focused on designing packages made of recyclable plastic, while also cutting back on materials used in packaging in general. PET packaging, consisting of 20% recyclable plastics, has been available in Cyprus since 2018; the goal is to reach 50% by 2030. In addition, the Company reduced by 86.4% the waste produced during the production process across its factories.

By the end of the year, Coca-Cola HBC Cyprus will have invested €4 million in doing away with plastic foil on aluminium multi-packs and switching over to the new type of packaging known as KeelClip™. It’s an initiative undertaken for the first time in the non-alcoholic beverages industry and will translate into reducing plastic usage by approximately 287 tonnes a year.