14 DAY TRIAL // As one of the first multinational companies to have invested in Romania, Coca-Cola continues to support and promote the development of an educated society and of a healthy environment.
The latest project coming from Coca-Cola Hellenic Romania is a major environmental protection initiative that has just been awarded a €1 million (about $1.34 million) grant from the European Union.
The money will be used by the Tasuleasa Social Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) to develop a management plan for the Calimani National Park, which will include include protecting biodiversity, strengthening institutional management capabilities, and providing educational programmes for local people.
The Calimani National Park is situated in the same region as Coca-Cola Hellenic Romania’s mineral water operations.
Other partners engaged in this project include Romania’s Environment, Tourism and Regional Development, and Education Ministries and the Calimani National Park Administration.
“Collaborating with partners is a key component of our Towards Sustainability strategy. We are thrilled that the European Union has recognised the valuable work that our partner Tasuleasa Social is engaged in,” said Ulrike Gehmacher, Public Affairs and Communication Manager, Coca-Cola Hellenic.
“We have worked closely with them on a number of environmental projects and are looking forward to supporting them further as they develop the plan for Calimani National Park,” he added,
Coca-Cola Hellenic is recognised by Dow Jones Sustainability Index as being in the top 10% of the most sustainable companies in the world.
The company’s partnership with Tasuleasa Social began back in 2007, and since then they together managed several large-scale volunteer projects that engaged more than 300 employees and 3,000 young people, who have planted 45,000 trees, cleaned 450 km of river banks, and successfully implemented a waste separation and recovery programme.
“Since first acquiring Dorna mineral water brand, the Coca-Cola System in Romania has been involved in social responsibility projects in Suceava County”, declared Laura Sgarcitu, Community Programs Specialist at Coca-Cola HBC Romania. “This has attracted funds in the region of up to three million Euros and resulted in training sessions with the local authorities and local teenagers in ecology, tree planting and school renovations.”