Svetoslav Atanasov for the NIN magazine: Sustainability is a winner in the long run

Sustainability has forever changed the way we work and cooperate within our community. She humanized business and placed the importance of caring for people and the planet on a pedestal. In our company, investments in sustainability are strategic, long-term, and closely related to our pivotal values, says Svetoslav Atanasov, General Manager at Coca-Cola HBC Serbia and Montenegro in an interview for NIN magazine. 

Sustainability as a concept has forever changed the way we work, collaborate with customers and suppliers, and relate to consumers and the community. Together with taking care of business, it has become of immeasurable importance to think about people and the planet. Sustainability has humanized business.

As I recall our journey, I am pleased with what we accomplished so far. In comparison to the period from 15 years ago, today we use half as much water to produce one liter of our drink, therefore saving this important resource. In the same production process, we now use about 60% less energy. All the electricity we use comes from renewable sources. All our product packaging is recyclable, innovations such as KeelClip and attached caps reduce the use of plastic and we hearten recycling.

Despite that, what I understand as our most important duty and where I want to see more rapid progress is the reduction of harmful CO2 emissions. There are numerous activities that we implement in our community: a "green fleet" of cars, the use of an electric delivery van in the center of Belgrade, the transition to more energy-efficient cooling devices... and all of this reduces our direct emissions.

The challenge is indirect and comes in the guise of emissions in our value chain. The pivotal to solving them is in partnerships and working towards the same goal.

2. That goal is to be carbon neutral by 2040. How will you perform it?

We have a road map and a goal to be carbon neutral by 2040. I profess, this is a challenging and ambitious goal, but I strongly believe we will reach it. I have several good reasons to be encouraged. These are, above all, our employees who embraced sustainability as a value and strengthen partnerships with our suppliers, customers, business associations, NGO sector, as well as system institutions. And we are all on the common mission.

If we thought that climate change was at a great distance from us and our region, I believe that this summer proved us wrong. That is why we must never yield to reducing emissions, because on this wise we help the fight against already conspicuous climate change.

3. Coca-Cola HBC Serbia is recognized for its support of the local communities in which it operates.

We are blessed to operate in geographically, socially, and culturally diverse areas. These differences - from Surdulica in the south of Serbia, through Kucevo in the east, to our bottling plant in Zemun, make the footmark of our company opulent.

Through projects, investment in local infrastructure and other forms of support, we have invested over 15 million euros since arriving in the region of ownership. I am especially delighted with the "Vlasina – pure love" initiative, which has grown from support to local restaurateurs into comprehensive support for the development of sustainable tourism in Vlasina, together with our local partners and the UNDP office.

With equal attention, we are also nourishing the Homolje region, where last year we opened the sparkling water bottling plant Rosa Homolje in the municipality of Kučevo. It was a real economic injection for that region, with investments of over five million euros and around 50 jobs.

4. Sustainability against a possible recession and the uncertainty of geopolitical events. Who is winning?

This is a question of cost, and the cost of stopping sustainable practices is one we cannot afford, both locally and globally.

In our company, investments in sustainability are strategic, long-term and closely associated to vital values. With the winning spirit we cultivate in everything we do, I believe that in the fullness of time the winner will be sustainability.