Search

Human Rights Governance

Human Rights Governance

Respect for human rights is woven through everything we do at The Coca‐Cola Company. Our program is built to align with the United Nations Guiding Principles (UNGPs) and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. The rights underpinning our commitment are drawn from the International Bill of Human Rights, the ILO Core Conventions, and other foundational human rights instruments.

“Our company’s purpose is to refresh the world and make a difference. As a global business, this includes a focus on respecting human rights in our own business, and working extensively with others to further respect for human rights in our supply chain.”

James Quincey, Chairman and CEO of The Coca‑Cola Company

Policies

Human Rights Policy

We have periodically revised our policy to reflect changing stakeholder and human rights expectations, including most recently in 2023. The rights underpinning our commitment are drawn from the International Bill of Human Rights, the International Labor Organization Core Conventions and other instruments. Our Human Rights Policy is embedded in the company’s Code of Business Conduct for employees, and its principles are extended to our direct supply chain through the Supplier Guiding Principles (SGP). Our Principles for Sustainable Agriculture (PSA) outline our farm-level expectations for environmental, social and economic performance across our agricultural suppliers.

Download PDF

Supplier Guiding Principles

The principles in our Human Rights Policy extend across our supply chain through our Supplier Guiding Principles (SGP). They require that companies supplying us directly with goods and services, including our bottling partners, adhere to the same values and expectations that we require of ourselves.

Learn More

Principles for Sustainable Agriculture

Our Principles for Sustainable Agriculture (PSA), introduced in 2021, outline our farm-level expectations for environmental, social and economic performance across our agricultural suppliers, with a focus on four key areas: environment and ecosystems; human and workplace rights; animal health and welfare; and farm management systems. The PSA program takes a long-term perspective and reflects the most recent science for promoting sustainability across our total beverage portfolio and increasingly diverse supply chain.

Learn More

Oversight & Due Diligence

The Corporate Governance and Sustainability Committee of our Board of Directors reviews our human rights practices, including those practices within our system and supply chain. 

In line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, we carry out human rights due diligence to identify actual or potential human rights impacts across our value chain. We regularly assess our key human rights risks to ensure that we are taking steps to identify and address them and support remediation where appropriate.

See Our 2023 Progress

Timeline of Our Human Rights Journey

Launched the Supplier Guiding Principles

Creation of the Global Workplace Rights department

Worked to support the mandate of Professor John Ruggie, in development of a framework for respecting human rights in a business context

Launched our Human Rights Statement and Workplace Rights Policy

Developed the Coca‑Cola SGP findings matrix and quarterly scorecard to monitor performance along with newly created auditor training

Hosted our first Human Rights Conference, now an annual forum on Business and Human Rights

Initiated a global-local strategy to address child labor in agriculture

Formally endorsed the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights

Launched our Global Mutual Respect Policy

Initiated our Country Studies focused on our sugar supply chain

Launched our comprehensive Human Rights Policy, combining our Human Rights Statement, Workplace Rights Policy and Global Mutual Respect Policy

Conducted a series of workshops system wide to identify our salient human rights risks

The three principles of ethical recruitment and employment of migrant workers included in SGP requirements

Released our first standalone Human Rights Report

Updated our Human Rights Policy after extensive stakeholder consultation

Human Rights Due Diligence added to the World Without Waste protocol

Released summary report of our country studies

In collaboration with Cutrale, The Coca‑Cola Foundation and Innocent drinks, initiated a project around citrus in Brazil to support smallholders in the citrus belt region

Launch of Real IMPACT

More About Human Rights

Human Rights at The Coca‐Cola Company

Respect for human rights is central to how we do business. Our commitment is operationalized through Real IMPACT, our vision for the future of human rights at The Coca‑Cola Company.

LEARN MORE
100-plant-based-banner

Related Content

Coca‑Cola Collaborates with Tech Partners to Create Bottle Prototype Made from 100% Plant-Based Sources

Read More
100-plant-based-banner

Coca‑Cola Launches ‘Real Magic’ Brand Platform, Including Refreshed Visual Identity and Global Campaign

Read More
coca-cola-real-magic-billboard

Iteration, for Good: How Project Last Mile is Supporting COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution in Africa and Beyond

Read More
iteration-for-good