Ambitious targets result in reduced environmental impact
Coca Cola Enterprises (CCE) has set out a number of ambitious targets in relation to environmental sustainability. Their "commitment 2020" goals include reducing their overall carbon footprint by 15 per cent by 2020, reducing the impact of their packaging and maximising their use of recyclable resources and having a water neutral impact on the local communities where they operate.
Goal 1: Energy conservation and climate change
To reduce the overall carbon footprint of business operations by 15 per cent by
2020,
as compared to 2007 levels.
CCE has measured their carbon footprint in order to take steps to reduce it in
the three areas that have the biggest impact. They are:
- Manufacturing - 18 per cent of their carbon emissions.
- Transportation - 9 per cent of their carbon emissions.
- Cold Drinks Equipment - 70 per cent of their carbon emissions.
CCE has also measured the impact of the full lifecycle of their products in
order to understand the direct emissions they control and the indirect
emissions
that companies that they buy goods or services from control. This means that
they
can work across their supply chain to reduce emissions. 
Reducing their footprint
- Energy efficient production sites. All of CCE's manufacturing sites are already
highly energy-efficient, but by
investing in the most energy-intensive production lines and equipment, CCE hope
to make further improvements
across their UK sites, they have reduced energy usage by 13 per cent since
2001.
- Efficient transportation. Getting the products to customers adds to their carbon
footprint, however, CCE has saved
over 600,000 miles each year by sharing loads with customers and suppliers and
better journey planning.
- Reducing energy use. CCE owns 200,000 coolers and vending machines across the
UK. 10 per cent of the coolers
have been fitted with an energy management system which can save up to 35 per
cent of energy. This has saved
28,000 tonnes of CO2 to date.
Goal 2: Sustainable packaging and recycling
To reduce the impact of their packaging; maximize use of renewable, reusable,
and recyclable
resources; and recover the equivalent of 100 per cent of packaging.
In 2010, CCE used a total of 145,702 tonnes of packaging (a 29 per cent
reduction since 2007). For example, they
have reduced the weight of their 330ml cans by 30 per cent since 1987.
CCE is also looking at ways they can increase the amount of recycled metal,
glass and plastic in their packaging.
CCE already use 50 per cent recycled content in their steel and aluminium cans;
30 per cent recycled content in
their glass bottles and 25 per cent recycled PET (rPET) in their PET bottles.
The long-term recycling goal of CCE is to recover the equivalent of 100 per cent
of drinks packaging. To achieve
this they will focus on recycling waste, packaging recovery and on-the-go
recycling. This includes sourcing more
food-grade recycled plastic (rPET) for their bottles, reducing the raw
materials
required to make them and sending
less waste to landfill.
Earlier this year, CCE's East Kilbride site was awarded Zero Waste Status,
meaning that no waste is sent to landfill.
Goal 3: Water stewardship
To establish a water sustainable operation in which they
minimize water use and have a water neutral impact on
the local communities in which they operate, by safely
returning the amount of water equivalent to what is
used in beverages and their production to
local communities.
At CCE, water is the single biggest product ingredient.
It is also used for heating, cooling, washing and rinsing at
their factories.
To achieve their Water Stewardship goal CCE is focusing on
water efficiency in business operations and across products'
lifecycle. For example, at the East Kilbride site, they have
reduced their water-usage ratio by 17 per cent
between 2006 and 2008 through various water-saving
measures.
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