Bepensa beverages in the Dominican Republic and the Regional Initiative for Inclusive Recycling (IRR) recently presented the "Recycling Stories - World Without Waste Journalism Award" scholarships. This initiative aims to collaborate with the media and press professionals to enrich the public agenda on topics relevant to the search for sustainable development models in the Dominican Republic.
“Today, the Coca-Cola System reaffirms our commitment to a waste-free Dominican Republic,” said Carlos Ricalde, General Manager of the Caribbean at The Coca-Cola Company. “These scholarships are a valuable contribution to Dominican journalism, promoting it as a key player in the change we are promoting. Coca-Cola aims to make A World Without Waste a vision shared by all,” he added.
“As we all know, we cannot achieve these ambitious goals alone. Collaboration on these types of initiatives is vital, as joint work brings greater benefits to the challenges we face today to preserve the future.” Therefore, as part of our strategy of working with partners to make these goals possible, today we are presenting this Award in partnership with the Regional Initiative for Inclusive Recycling (IRR),” highlighted Paola Sierra, Senior Manager of Public Affairs for the Caribbean at The Coca-Cola Company.
Las becas “Historias de Reciclaje – Premio Mundo Sin Residuos al Periodismo” buscan premiar, mediante un apoyo financiero y técnico, propuestas innovadoras de investigación periodística para una cobertura de excelencia sobre iniciativas relativas al reciclaje inclusivo. La postulación para las becas dio inició el pasado 14 de febrero de 2020 y tendrá como fecha límite el 12 de abril de 2020. Serán aceptadas solamente las inscripciones presentadas en formulario electrónico disponible en la página web de IRR https://irr2.typeform.com/to/vkOZGC.
Those interested will receive technical support through a Gabo Foundation training workshop where the strategies and methodologies necessary to achieve active audience engagement with coverage of the circular economy, recycling, and climate-compatible development will be discussed. The workshop will be held on Tuesday, April 30, 2020, led by prestigious Colombian journalist Ángela Posada Swafford.
A jury of professionals will evaluate the proposals based on:
Its effective contribution to better understanding and contextualizing issues related to inclusive recycling in the Dominican Republic.
Development of journalistic coverage based on a plurality of points of view, a variety of sources, and ethical handling of information.
A research approach that goes beyond simply reporting problems, but also explores possible solutions, taking into account, among other aspects, the organization of social actors in networks and other forms of collective action.
Depth, rigor and social relevance of the research.
Three proposals will be awarded, each with a USD 1,000 grant to cover production costs. The selected proposals will be announced in May 2020.
The resulting stories from each of the grant proposals must be published by the respective media outlets between July and September 2020. Once published, a jury will select a winner from the three stories, who will travel to Atlanta, United States, to learn about the World of Coca-Cola and conduct an interview with a global executive from the "World Without Waste" initiative.
For her part, Jadira Vivanco, IRR Coordinator for Colombia and Central America, stated: “For the IRR, strengthening quality journalism in Latin America is a priority because we understand that well-told stories, with solid arguments and rigor, that incorporate the region's idiosyncrasies, create the conditions for the inclusive recycling paradigm to advance in times of the Circular Economy. These types of actions with our allies are generating committed journalism, capable of giving visibility to actors who engage in collaborative processes and initiatives that don't always reach the public eye.”
A World Without Waste
This initiative is part of the Coca-Cola System's global commitment to "A World Without Waste," a holistic plan focused on reducing impact throughout the entire packaging lifecycle, from how bottles and cans are designed and manufactured to how they are recycled and reused. This effort has clear goals for the coming years: to recover and recycle 100% of the packaging it puts on the market by 2030.
In the Dominican Republic, Coca-Cola is constantly working to improve its packaging, and nearly 25% of the bottles sold are returnable, making it the largest producer of non-alcoholic beverages in returnable packaging in the Dominican market. The System also invested 41% more than in 2019 in media to promote the use of returnable packaging through the "Vivamos más returnables" (Let's Live More Returnable) campaign, which will allow it to reach 70% of the Dominican population.
A recent example of the company's commitment, part of Grupo Bepensa, is its participation in the largest private alliance for solid waste management, promoted by the Association of Industries of the Dominican Republic (AIRD), NUVI, which will work to create a culture of waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and utilization.
