2 MILLION AFRICAN WOMEN ECONOMICALLY ENABLED TO THRIVE BY COCA-COLA’S INVESTMENT IN SKILLS AND RESOURCES

Some Dar es Salaam food vendors commonly known as Mama Ntilie display liquefied petroleum gas cylinders supplied to them by Coca-Cola Kwanza through 5by20 programme. The Coca-Cola system’s 5by20® women empowerment programme has so far benefited over 2 million women in Africa and equipped to succeed as entrepreneurs, while also helping to create sustainable communities.

Tuesday April 20 2021 Dar es Salaam - Cola-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) celebrated International Women’s Month in style this year with the release of audited results of the Coca-Cola system’s 5by20® women empowerment programme, which showed that 2 million women in Africa have been equipped to succeed as entrepreneurs, while also helping to create sustainable communities.

The global goal to economically enable 5 million women by 2020 – hence 5by20® – was handsomely exceeded, with 6 million women around the world gaining access to business skills, financial services, assets and support networks of peers and mentors, giving them the confidence, skills and resources to thrive.

The programme aimed to assist women entrepreneurs across the Coca-Cola value chain – agricultural producers, suppliers, distributors, retailers, recyclers, and artisans – to overcome challenges when establishing and growing their businesses.

The Coca-Cola Company worked with bottling partners, civil society organisations, government stakeholders and other private sector actors across 33 countries in Africa to roll out locally relevant initiatives.

CCBA, Africa’s largest Coca-Cola bottling partner, made a significant contribution to the Coca-Cola system’s accomplishments. In total, in the markets where we operate, almost 1.3 million women were empowered since the inception of 5by20. In Tanzania, we partnered with VICOBA Sustainable Development Agency and enabled over 41,000 women to gaining access to business and entrepreneurship skills, financial services, assets and support networks of peers and mentors.

Commenting on the success of the 5by20® programme in Africa, CCBA’s Head of Public Affairs Communications and Sustainability, Tshidi Ramogase said the company was committed to creating greater shared opportunity for the business and the communities it serves across the value-chain.

“Opportunity is more than just money, it’s about a better future for people and their communities everywhere on the African continent,” said Ramogase.

“Women are the pillars of their communities, investing much of their income in the health and education of their children and local economies. By helping women to grow their businesses we are helping Africa to reach its full economic potential. We are passionate about ensuring that our continent thrives, as our business thrives, and we are not going to stop here,” said Ramogase.

“Women entrepreneurs continue to face major hurdles, and we know that our work must continue, particularly given the significant socio-economic disruption created by the COVID-19 pandemic in so many communities around the world.”

Numerous studies from the United Nations and academic institutions have repeatedly proven that investment in women spurs economic growth and promotes sustainable development.

“By investing in women’s economic empowerment over the past decade, we have created shared value in hopes of a better shared future - enabling improved livelihoods for women, their families and their communities, while inclusively expanding our business,” said Ramogase. “We are proud about the ripple effects that these programmes have had on the millions of lives we have touched and will continue to have over the years to come.”

To read the full 5by20® Report, visit
https://www.coca-colacompany.com/content/dam/journey/us/en/policies/pdf/sustainability/coca-cola-5by20-report-march-2021.pdf