Joe Franses, Vice-President of Sustainability, discusses Coca-Cola European Partners’ place on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index

This week, we learned that Coca-Cola European Partners has successfully gained a place on both the 2017 DJSI Europe and DJSI World Indices for the second year running. This makes all of us at CCEP immensely proud. Membership of the DJSI is highly competitive and it is the most widely recognised sustainability index in the world, so to be included is a huge achievement for our business.

The evaluation process for the DJSI is long and rigorous, and includes a thorough review of economic, social and environmental factors. In total, over 3,400 companies were evaluated for inclusion in this prestigious index, with only three beverage companies making the grade in 2017.

When we formed CCEP, we put sustainability, in its broadest sense, at the heart of the business – we worked hard to set some fundamental principles about how we would work and how we would be accountable to our stakeholders. The DJSI listing is a confirmation that we have got these fundamentals right. 

We are especially delighted to achieve the highest industry score on the Health and Nutrition, Packaging, Water Related Risks, Human Capital Development and Labour Practices sections of the assessment.

There is still much to do and we have big ambitions. Throughout 2017, we’ve been busy asking a range of stakeholders in each of our markets what they expect from CCEP. The feedback was really clear. Fundamentally, we’re seen as a good business, and our job now is to become a great business by working with our partners in civil society, customers and communities to address some of the biggest issues we face as a society.  Together with The Coca-Cola Company in Western Europe, we are now working to develop a sustainability strategy which will help us make this transition from good to great. 

Our journey continues but, for now, join me in thanking everyone who contributed to our success!