From language to rights: building prevention
Specifically, Coca-Cola HBC, the main producer and distributor of products under The Coca-Cola Company brand in Italy, has developed in recent years a structured approach to preventing gender-based violence and discrimination, acting on language, decision-making power, rights, and organizational culture. Certifications on equality, widespread training, anonymous reporting tools, expanded rights for non-traditional families, and public initiatives supporting LGBTQIA+ communities form a strategy that works upstream, transforming the work environment into one less conducive to abuse and more oriented toward fairness and respect.
Coca-Cola HBC Italy is committed to pay policies aimed at gender equity and the enhancement of employee skills. Precisely because it recognizes the presence of potential risks related to discrimination based on gender, age, ethnicity, or non-inclusive practices, which can negatively impact people’s well-being and motivation, its commitments are aimed at consolidating a fairer working environment.
In terms of safeguards, the company obtained the IDEM certification for gender equality in 2022 and operates in the field of human rights in line with the Coca-Cola HBC Group Policy, based on international standards. It has also started the process toward the UNI/PdR 125:2022 certification.
Coca-Cola HBC Italy also includes among its practices collaboration with local Pride events (Milan, Naples, Turin) and projects for the LGBTQIA+ community in some of the areas where its factories and offices operate in the country, asserting a public stance on inclusion and diversity. This is not new for the brand, which over time has promoted campaigns explicitly built around themes of equality and recognition: from the choice in 1955 of African American Mary Alexander as a testimonial during the peak of the civil rights movement, to the famous 1971 Hilltop campaign, highlighting the power of people coming together around values of peace and sharing, up to the provocative 2017 This Coke is a Fanta campaign against homolesbotransphobia.
Among the initiatives aimed at reducing gender bias is the UnCaffè con cycle, carried out in collaboration with Caffè Vergnano: four training sessions with corporate leaders and external professionals on language, careers, management, and equity. In 2024, the schedule continued with webinars dedicated to parents and those pursuing fertility or maternity/paternity paths. The content addresses topics such as bullying, digital education, school guidance, and medically assisted reproduction, involving psychologists and specialists.
The company has also implemented internal reporting tools, including the Speak Up! line, accessible anonymously, to report any ethical non-compliance or violations. In 2024, the manifesto for inclusive language, Con le parole giuste, was published, developed from focus groups involving over 200 people from headquarters, production, and the sales force. The document provides ten operational guidelines to foster a safer and more respectful work environment and was accompanied by internal training sessions voluntarily attended by approximately 1,000 people.
Alongside internal actions, the company continues to support external advocacy and inclusion initiatives, particularly through its long-standing collaboration with Special Olympics. In 2024, Coca-Cola HBC Italy volunteers assisted 500 athletes with intellectual disabilities at the National Winter Games, and the partnership was also highlighted during the Milan Relay Marathon, running to support the association’s projects.