Page 308 - Design for Environment A Guide to Sustainable Product Development

284 Cha pte r F i f tee n

but the company works closely with these partners to measure and
improve the overall environmental performance of the system. The
system's environmental impacts are primarily due to plant opera-
tions and distribution networks, as well as vending machines and
coolers. Coke concentrates on three principal areas of environmental
responsibility, each with explicit performance metrics [1]:

1. Water stewardship involves both water conservation and
operating efficiency initiatives. For example, efficiency is pri-
marily measured by the water use ratio, i.e., liters of water
per liter of product. The water use ratio has steadily declined
to about 2.5 in 2007, corresponding to a 40% eco-efficiency
ratio. In 2008 the company announced a global goal of 20%
improvement in water efficiency by 2012 from the baseline
year of 2004. Coke has also pledged to achieve “water neu-
trality” by returning water to nature equivalent to what it
uses in its operations.
2. Sustainable packaging is measured through resource use effi-
ciency, including energy and material intensity. These are in -
fluenced primarily by packaging design, container recycling,
and package material reuse. For example, the company has
established a goal in its U.S. operations to recycle or reuse
100% of its PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and aluminum
packaging. Coke’s innovations in the area of sustainable pack-
aging are described below.
3. Energy and climate protection are primarily measured by the
energy use efficiency ratio, i.e., megajoules per liter of prod-
uct. Vending machines and coolers are the largest contributor
to greenhouse gas emissions within the system and produce
three times the estimated emissions of beverage manufactur-
ing facilities. Coke’s efforts to reduce these emissions through
sustainable refrigeration technology are described below.
Neville Isdell, Chairman and former CEO, summarizes Coca-
Cola’s environmental commitment in simple terms: “We recognize
that if the communities we serve are not sustainable, then we do not
have a sustainable business for ourselves.”

Sustainable Packaging
In food and beverage products, packaging provides convenience as
well as safety benefits, such as spoilage reduction and tamper resis-
tance. In Coca-Cola’s view, the social value that packaging provides
does not diminish the responsibility of the entire packaging chain to
reduce waste and consumption of natural resources. In fact, Coke
aspires to treat discarded packaging as a resource rather than a waste.
Accordingly, the company’s DFE efforts include