The Coca-Cola Company Joins (RED) to Help Eliminate AIDS
The Coca-Cola Company today announced a multi-year partnership with (RED) to raise awareness and money for the Global Fund´s efforts to virtually eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV by 2015.
The partnership includes an initial commitment of more than $5 million USD from The Coca-Cola Company over the next four years. This commitment will fund marketing awareness campaigns activated through global Coca-Cola music initiatives and programs. As part of the $5 million USD contribution, a minimum of $3 million USD will be donated directly to The Global Fund to purchase anti-retroviral medicine and distribute literature.
"It´s encouraging to think that we could witness an AIDS-free generation during our lifetime," said Muhtar Kent, Chairman and CEO, The Coca-Cola Company. "We´re proud to help this effort and believe it complements the current work we´re doing in many parts of the world to educate and prevent HIV/AIDS as well as provide support to people affected by this preventable and treatable disease."
This new partnership complements the work The Coca-Cola Company and The Global Fund are already partnering on in Africa. The two organizations are leveraging insights from the Coca-Cola supply chain and route-to-market system to help improve access to critical medicines.
The Coca-Cola Company operates in 206 countries and is one of the largest employers in the world. The Coca-Cola system employs nearly 70,000 people in Africa, which is home to more than 60 percent of the world´s HIV-infected population.*
About The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world´s largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands. Led by Coca-Cola, the world´s most valuable brand, our Company´s portfolio features 15 billion dollar brands including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply, Georgia and Del Valle. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, ready-to-drink coffees, and juices and juice drinks. Through the world´s largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy our beverages at a rate of 1.7 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, support active, healthy living, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. Together with our bottling partners, we rank among the world´s top 10 private employers with more than 700,000 system employees. For more information, please visit http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/ or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/CocaColaCo.
*CIA World Factbook