COCA-COLA's CSR (Corporative Social Responsibility) - Coursework Example

of the Business of the Teacher 16 December Coco Cola- Breaching the Sustainability Norms In June the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board in North India ordered that Coca Cola bottling plant operating in village Mehdiganj, immediately be closed for violating the terms of its operating license and extracting excessive ground water that eventually led to a depletion of ground water levels in this locality (The Guardian, 18 June 2014). The concerned pollution control authority also blamed this specific Coca Cola plant of releasing effluents bearing pollutant levels way too much in excess of the permissible baseline (The Guardian, 18 June 2014).

This particular Coca Cola plant in North India also did not care to solicit formal permission documents from the appropriate ground water management authorities. It was also found that Coca Cola illegally built this plant on the land owned by Mehdiganj village council (The Guardian, 18 June 2014). This does show that at this particular plant, Coca Cola not only violated fundamental norms underlying a sustainable harvesting of natural resources, but also showed a gross disregard for the interconnections existing between business, community and environment in this particular village (Wheeler 2004, p. 199). This too when the 2011/2012 Sustainability Report released by Coca Cola evinced the company’s commitment to conserve water resources in the communities it operates in and to be sensitive towards the concerns of local communities (Coca Cola 2012).

Not only this, but by releasing harmful pollutants and by encroaching over the village council land, Coca Cola also breached the law of the land. It is but evident that such actions of Coca Cola are not only unethical, but also violated the dictates of law. It is strongly recommended that Coca Cola take immediate steps to procure all the necessary documents, certificates and licenses required to operate this plant. The company should also take steps to follow the guidelines issued by the local pollution control authority and make amends for depleting the local water resources.

The company should also urgently install all the necessary equipment and technology required to restrain pollutant levels in the effluents released by this plant. Besides, immediate talks need to be initiated with Mehdiganj village council to convey concern for and sensitivity towards the community issues. Steps should be taken to appropriately compensate the village council for its land illegally appropriated by Coca Cola. Reference List‘Indian Officials Order Coca-Cola Plant to Close for using too much Water’, The Guardian,18 June 2014, viewed 16 December 2014, .

Water Stewardship, 2011/2012 Sustainability Report, Coca Cola, viewed 16 December 2014,. Wheeler, SP 2004, Planning for Sustainability, Routledge, New York.