Corporate Social responsibility Case Study

Coca-Cola's Corporate Social Responsibility in India

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Abstract:
With the accelerating pace of globalisation and increasing competition, it becomes inevitable for companies to have clearly defined business practices with a sound focus on public interest. In India, the world's largest beverage maker Coca-Cola Inc. (Coke) was engaged in a number of community-focused CSR initiatives. These initiatives were further accelerated since 2003 following the various allegations and issues such as presence of pesticide residues in its beverages and water resource contamination issues that the soft drink giant faced in India. To address these issues and to rebuild its tarnished brand image in India, Coke engaged itself in a number of environment-focused CSR initiatives, like executing the eKO management system in 2003, under which it preserved local water resources. It also adopted measures to reduce water consumption in its production processes. This case facilitates discussion on whether Coke used CSR as a tool for its sustainability in India or only as a green washing effort to counter its allegations. The case also helps to emphasise the need for adopting ethical values in the business practices of multinationals operating in India.

Pedagogical Objectives:

• To discuss the challenges faced by Coke in India
• To analyse measures taken by Coke to address these challenges
• To examine the rationale behind Coke's corporate social measures in India
• To scrutinize whether MNCs in developing countries use CSR initiatives as a tool for its sustainability or only as a green washing effort?
• To bring out a business model that integrates CSR initiatives in the value charter of a company.

Keywords : Corporate Social Responsibility, Coke in India, Pesticide Issue, Water allegations issue, Environment Issues, Coke's bottling plants, Carbonated Beverages, CSD, Corporate Social Responsibility Case Study, eKO System, Water conservation, Community and Environment focused CSR, Drivers for CSR in business practices, Sustainability, Coke's CSR initiatives, Green washing