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The Coca-Cola Company Official Statement Regarding Colombia Allegations
You may have questions about our business practices in Colombia. We hope that you will take a few minutes to consider the facts.
In a country where violence against union members has deterred all but four percent of workers from unionizing, 31 percent of the employees of our Coca-Cola Colombian bottling partners belong to unions.
Our Company and bottling partners have been valuable members of the Colombian community for more than 70 years and we respect the rights of all employees, including those who choose third-party representation or union membership. In fact, our bottling partners enjoy extensive, normal relations with multiple unions in Colombia and currently have collective bargaining agreements in place with all of the unions covering wages, benefits and working conditions. SINALTRAINBEC, a Colombian union representing bottler employees, has publicly stated that it has “not a single indication” that Coca-Cola or any bottler has links to illegal armed groups.
The Coca-Cola Company and our bottling partners have produced beverages in Colombia for Colombians for more than 70 years.
We are proud to be a part of the international community of stakeholders who are working to strengthen the country’s political infrastructure, end violent internal struggles, and restore peace and stability for the Colombian people.
Through both collective bargaining agreements and their own initiative, our Colombian bottling partners are working with unions and the government to provide emergency cell phones, transportation to and from work, secure housing, and a host of other measures to protect our employees.
Additional third parties, including the courts and even other bottler unions, have investigated and dismissed the allegations.
Two different judicial inquiries in Colombia – one in a Colombian Court and one by the Colombian Attorney General – found no evidence to support the allegations that bottler management conspired to intimidate trade unionists.
These allegations were the thrust of a lawsuit filed in 2001 against The Coca-Cola Company in a U.S. District Court in Miami; the Company was dismissed as a defendant. On September 29, 2006 the court issued a decision to dismiss the two Coca-Cola bottlers in Colombia from all remaining cases as well.
October 6, 2008 - The ILO has completed its independent evaluation of Coca-Cola bottling operations in Colombia. The report states "everything suggests that conditions of work applicable to direct employees are duly respected, to the extent that they are regulated by legal instruments, collective agreements or accords." The report found Coca-Cola bottlers are upholding labor standards that have been ratified in Colombia, including confirming that workers enjoy freedom of association, a work atmosphere free of anti-union intimidation and a safe working environment. The ILO did note some areas for improvement unrelated to legal compliance concerning ideal or aspirational human resources practices, which Colombia bottlers are currently evaluating in order to develop action plans for such areas. Coca-Cola bottlers in Colombia have reiterated their commitment to compliance with local law and international labor standards, as well as to continue working towards the improvement of workplace conditions in their facilities, on behalf of all of their associates. The report can be viewed on the ILO's website at: http://www.ilo.org/public/english/dialogue/sector/papers/food/mission.pdf
Cal Safety Compliance Corporation (CSCC) - a respected global leader in conducting corporate social accountability audits - recently completed a thorough assessment of our bottling partners’ operations in Colombia.
The assessment evaluated our bottling partners’ current workplace practices, including wages and hours, facility security, freedom of association, collective bargaining, health and safety.
The assessment found no violations and uncovered no allegations with respect to human rights abuses at any of the plants. It can be downloaded in full by clicking here.
In Colombia and around the world, The Coca-Cola Company is committed to improving the quality of life in the communities where we operate. Throughout the world, we work with our bottling partners on projects such as building school houses, providing basic educational tools, and promoting healthy lifestyles.
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that it has “not a single indication” that 
are provided to union leaders.
- a respected global leader in conducting corporate social accountability audits - recently completed a thorough assessment of our bottling partners’ operations in Colombia.
