Meeting Coca-Cola representatives
On 2 July, we met representatives from Coca-Cola Russia as well as partners of the company and representatives from businesses and NGOs. The theme of our meeting was: “Partnership in sustainable development and the localisation of global strategies”.
After some opening remarks, we were told about the Coca-Cola system’s global strategy for sustainable development, its key achievements and challenges in 2018, and its key development initiatives.
This year, Coca-Cola was focused on developing projects in three fields: “planet”, “product” and “society”. The “planet” field is focused on the problems linked to recycling packaging waste, preserving fresh water resources, and tackling climate change.
The “product” field focuses on a sensible, balanced diet and developing sustainable agriculture. “Society” involves social investment in solving socially significant problems: youth development, the inclusion of individuals with special needs, protecting human rights and strengthening the role of women on a global scale.
After discussing development strategies, a round table discussion was held on current questions of developing an inclusive society in Russia. Our speaker, Darya Andreyevna, who is also the coordinator of our “Prof” project, took part in a discussion on systemic measures to develop an inclusive society.
Darya spoke about integration and inclusion, professions which are relevant for individual with developmental difficulties, and government measures to create an inclusive community. She shared Step Up experience in preparing students for employment and support.
In particular, the “Prof” project coordinator analysed the need for and current obstacles to sharing employment practices, as well as examples of preparation for work and the Centre’s successful experience in hiring individuals with developmental difficulties (employment practices for those with special needs and creating an inclusive environment: requirements, results, challenges and future steps).
The meeting was interesting, rich and, most of all, useful, since it is necessary to hold such meetings in order to find common ground through talking and a joint effort, as well as to draw attention to the importance of these problems and the need to solve them.
