Coca-Cola Stands Out At SERAs For Sustainability Initiatives

Coca-Cola’s Nwamaka Onyemelukwe has emerged as the first runner up for the Sustainability Professional of the Year Award at the just concluded 14th edition of the Sustainability, Enterprise and Responsibility Awards (SERAs) held at Oriental Hotel, Lagos on Saturday, December 12th.

This award recognizes how individual company executives have facilitated the implementation of sustainability initiatives to yield more than anticipated results in terms of reach and impact.

Nwamaka Onyemelukwe, the Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability Manager for Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited, has been at the fore-front of the conception and implementation of several sustainability initiatives. Notable projects include a leading role in the formation of the Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance (FBRA), an Industry Coalition to drive Extended Producer Responsibility in Nigeria in line with the company’s World Without Waste vision.

She was part of an independent committee which formed the CokeCARES initiative, a food support program by Coca-Cola employees, through which hundreds of vulnerable families were provided with food relief materials, to cushion the effects of COVID-19.

Other noteworthy projects include several recycling and women economic empowerment projects; the Safe Birth Initiative, SHAPE 2020, Project Revive, Catalyst for Change, RecyclesPay, Clean-up Naija, Waste to Wealth, RESWAYE, among many others – all of which are implemented in partnership with local NGOs and are focused on driving shared value for the people, communities and planet.

Speaking on the achievement, she explained, “I am delighted to have received this prestigious award. It is a recognition of my efforts alongside that of my team and partners’ as we deliver on our mandate of making a difference in communities where we live and operate. We remain focused on the continued implementation and success of our sustainability initiatives across the country”.

These projects have contributed immensely in building sustainable communities, driving the SDGs as well as the company global sustainability targets. This is indeed a true demonstration of the company’s vision of “Refresh the World, Make a Difference”.