FDBusiness.com

Coca-Cola HBC has published its 2013 Integrated Report. Titled ‘The best is yet to come’, the report discusses the company’s strategy and performance across a range of financial, economic, social and environmental indicators. One of the world’s largest bottlers of The Coca-Cola Company’s beverage products, Coca-Cola HBC has integrated sustainability throughout its business over the past decade.

The Company is now a Supersector leader in the FTSE4Good index and has been listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (World and Europe) for six consecutive years. Among beverage companies, Coca-Cola HBC was ranked first in Europe and second in the world for sustainability.

“Integrated reporting reflects how our Company thinks and does business,” says Dimitris Lois, chief executive of Coca-Cola HBC. “This approach allows us to discuss material issues facing our business and communities and show how we create value, for shareholders and for society as a whole. We were delighted that our first integrated report was noted by a Harvard Business School study as a ‘best case example’ of this new approach to reporting. As a sustainability leader, we must continue to raise the bar.”

Highlights of the report:

Coca-Cola HBC gained or maintained volume and value share in its priority sparkling beverage category in 20 out of 24 measured markets. In 15 countries, it achieved all-time high volume shares. Although, net sales revenue declined by 2%, currency-neutral net sales revenue per case grew by 1%, maintaining the group’s growth trend for the third consecutive year. For the first time in the group’s history, it achieved a negative working capital position. This represents a €71 million – or 21% – improvement on 2012.

Coca-Cola HBC’s operational water footprint decreased by 2% in 2013, a reduction of 62% since 2004. Relative water use, the volume used to produce one litre of beverage, has improved 23% since 2004. The group’s carbon footprint (Scope 1 and 2 emissions) fell by a further 3% during 2013, or 6.4% since 2004. Energy efficiency, the amount used to produce one litre of beverage, has improved by 32% since 2004. Coca-Cola HBC has constructed 10 on-site Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plants and will commission a further five in the next two years. Landfilled waste has fallen by 74% since 2004 while the amount of waste generated per litre of beverage has fallen by 82%. In 2013, the group contributed in excess of €9.5 million in community programmes, over 2.5% of pre-tax profit. More than 2.1 million people participated in its active lifestyles programmes.

In developing the 2013 Integrated Report, Coca-Cola HBC followed the guidance of the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC). The report has been independently audited.

Coca-Cola HBC also publishes a separate report which follows the guidelines of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and provides detailed information on social and environmental performance. The GRI report has also been independently audited and achieved A+ application level. Coca-Cola HBC has reported the Company’s social and environmental performance since 2004 and previously published an annual CSR report.

Coca-Cola HBC has sales of more than 2 billion unit cases. It has a broad geographic footprint with operations in 28 countries serving a population of approximately 581 million people. Coca-Cola HBC offers a diverse range of ready-to-drink non-alcoholic beverages in the sparkling, juice, water, sport, energy, tea and coffee categories. Coca-Cola HBC has a premium listing on the London Stock Exchange and its shares are listed on the Athens Exchange. Coca-Cola HBC’s American depositary shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange.