In a dialogue with members of the government, the press, civil society, and academia, Bepensa, as part of the Coca-Cola System in the Dominican Republic, presented its "Commitment to the Caribbean."
This effort is a regional initiative launched in several countries that make up the Coca-Cola System's Caribbean operations: the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Aruba, Curaçao, Barbados, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Antigua and Barbuda, Martinique, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Suriname, Bermuda, Saint Lucia, Belize, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Dominica, and Jamaica.
The five pillars that govern this initiative, of which Bepensa is a part, are: the well-being of our consumers, the labeling of our products, responsible marketing actions and policies, environmental stewardship, and the economic empowerment of our communities.
Efforts such as #WorldWithoutWaste, which creates a recycling culture and a circular economy, Water for the Future, which aims to replenish more than 100% of nature's water, and Let's Start Together with Coca-Cola, which empowers small entrepreneurs to have more resilient businesses, are some of the actions we are already taking as part of these pillars, and which are also part of our global goal of refreshing the world and making a difference.
These initiatives have already yielded positive results, such as the more than 10,000 grocery store owners who have been trained to run healthier and more resilient businesses; the more than 300 volunteers who participate in beach cleanups and recycling initiatives mobilized each year; and the 2.5 million people living in the cities of Santo Domingo and Santiago in the Dominican Republic who benefit from river basins impacted by the Agua por el Futuro project.
Alejandro Herrera, CEO of Bepensa in the Dominican Republic, noted that governance decisions made from an ESG perspective are a key starting point toward a more sustainable and committed future. Therefore, Bepensa, as the Coca-Cola System bottler in the country, remains committed to continuing to be a total beverage company with a broad portfolio of reduced- and zero-calorie products, with clear labeling that serves as a source of information and education for consumers, as well as reinforcing and maintaining its responsible marketing policy, which does not target advertising to children under 13 years of age. It also continues to be a leader in environmental stewardship and the economic empowerment of communities.
At Bepensa, we are very proud to promote these comprehensive and strategic initiatives to achieve sustainable development in the region.
