Jamii means in the Swahili language, community or people. The new sustainability platform was recently launched by global soft drink giant Coca-Cola. The platform will invest in water and waste management, as well as youth economic empowerment.
The projects will be implemented with the multinational’s Africa Operating Unit (AOU), its employees, bottling partners and several non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
The new platform will build on and expand previous achievements in three areas: water stewardship, economic empowerment of women and youth, and waste management. This will be delivered together with bottling partners, system employees and various NGO partners.
Bruno Pietracci, Coca-Cola’s President for Africa notes that “as a market leader, we recognize our responsibility to promote community empowerment and protect the environment in which we operate. Whether it is providing people with access to clean water, creating economic opportunities for those in desperate need, or reducing the impact of our operations on the environment. We are committed to making a difference.
Patricia Obozuwa, AOU’s vice president of public affairs, communications and sustainability adds, “We chose the name JAMII because it represents who we are as Africans and aligns with our values as an organization, as well as our resilience, our commitment and our community spirit. Consolidating our sustainability efforts under this umbrella will allow us to strengthen our value proposition and deliver on our promise to continue to be a trusted partner for sustainable growth in Africa.”
In addition, the platform hosts the company’s new and existing sustainability initiatives. Through this unique platform, Coca-Cola hopes to attract like-minded partners to help accelerate the impact of its initiatives on the ground.
Finally, in the area of economic empowerment of women and youth, JAMII will promote and stimulate entrepreneurial opportunities through the provision of better access to training, networks, finance, and markets. So far, more than two million African women have received financial assistance as part of the 5by20 program.
