By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Coca-Cola Foundation and The Coca-Cola Company together donated more than $106 million to more than 230 organizations in 2016.
These contributions will directly benefit communities across more than 200 countries and territories, with approximately 97 percent of the grants focused on The Coca-Cola Company’s core sustainability priorities of women, water and community well-being.
The amount donated in 2016 equates to 1.2 percent of the company’s 2016 operating income, surpassing its public commitment to donate at least 1 percent of operating income annually.
Since 1984, The Coca-Cola Foundation has given back approximately $909 million to organizations and communities across the world.
“It’s an honour to support the missions of so many deserving and impactful organizations,” said Helen Smith Price, President of The Coca-Cola Foundation and Vice President of Global Community Affairs for The Coca-Cola Company. “It’s only when we work together that we have the opportunity to change lives and create meaningful change in communities.”
The breakdown of 2016 contributions shows The Coca-Cola Foundation awarded and paid $72 million in the following areas: $7 million to support women’s empowerment initiatives; $27 million to support water and environmental initiatives; and $38 million to support community strengthening initiatives including education, youth development, HIV/AIDS, arts and culture, and humanitarian/disaster relief.
Additionally, The Coca-Cola Company donated $34 million in funding and in-kind product donations to community events and programs around the world.
The Coca-Cola Foundation is the global philanthropic arm of The Coca-Cola Company.
Since its inception in 1984, the Foundation has awarded more than $900 million in grants to support sustainable community initiatives around the world.