HOW COVID-19 HAS IMPACTED
COCA-COLA AMATIL’S
SUSTAINABILITY PILLARS
COVID-19 has been
the Black Swan event
none of us could have
predicted. All of New
Zealand began operating in highly
unusual times and circumstances.
While uncertainty became the
new normal, one of the largest
manufacturing operators in the
country was working hard to
maintain its course of responsible
sustainability. Not just because it’s a
requirement but because it’s the right
thing to do.
At Coca-Cola Amatil New Zealand
(Amatil NZ), sustainability is viewed
through the lens of its four key pillars
– people, environment, community
and wellbeing. While COVID-19
hasn’t overly altered that focus, it has
created a few additional challenges
for the business is to achieve its
objectives.
One of the greatest challenges
within the organisation in adapting
to the new normal is working out
how to ensure its people are looked
after. Amatil NZ has close to 1200
employees throughout New Zealand
and has been recognised as one of
New Zealand’s Best Employers four
years running having received the
Aon Best Employer accreditation
every year since 2016.
Chris Litchfield, managing director
Coca-Cola Amatil NZ, was adamant
that its people always come first,
especially over this challenging time.
“One of our priorities was to ensure
we could keep all of our people
employed and paid in full during
COVID-19 lockdown, this meant
paying every single one of our
full-time employees 100% of their
wages,” says Litchfield.
“We’re saddened by the number of
businesses that have been forced
to close and the Kiwis that have lost
jobs over this challenging time. We
have to do everything we can to look
after our people and our customers
so they can support their families
and communities, we’re all in this
together.”
The majority of staff had to relocate
to work from their homes through
lockdown, however, being an
essential service meant some were
also needed to work on the frontlines
to keep up with customer demand.
While working on the frontlines,
Amatil NZ has its own processes in
place as well as closely aligning with
government directives to decrease
the risk of transmission during
COVID-19.
The business also had a rethink
around how it is able to better
support the communities in which
it operates. Coca-Cola NZ has
supported Youthline to develop a
series of online content as part of
Youthline’s Good2Great programme,
featuring G2G brand ambassador
Stan Walker. The new series was
designed to support young Kiwis
while New Zealand was at Alert Level
3 and 4, through video interviews
with Stan’s friends and experts.
Amatil’s focus on the environment
has not altered on its purpose and
objectives, it’s about doing the right
thing. All of it’s plastic bottles under
one litre and all water bottles are
Peter Jiang - external
communications manager
made from 100% recycled plastic.
This includes the bestselling brands
such as Coca-Cola, Powerade, Pump
and Kiwi Blue. The organisation
also welcomed the government’s
announcement that a Container
Return Scheme was in the works and
they look forward to working with
government, Iwi, industry, NGOs and
community to develop a world class
system here in New Zealand.
Coca-Cola Amatil NZ has committed
to working with government,
stakeholders and customers to ensure
the health, safety and wellbeing of its
people and the communities in which
they operate.
“We are all in this together. Be safe –
Kia haumaru.”
CREATE CLEAN
10 JUNE 2020