This is Forward.
This is Forward is our sustainability action plan. It sits at the heart of our long-term business strategy and sets out the actions we are taking on six key social and environmental topics, where we know we can make a significant difference and what our stakeholders want us to prioritise:
- Climate action
- Sustainable packaging
- Water stewardship
- The wellbeing of our people and those working across
our value chain - Consumer health and wellbeing
- Our contribution to our local communities
Our success is built on great people, great service and great beverages. We want to deliver sustainable growth, create value for all our stakeholders and build a better future for our business, our communities and the planet.
This is Forward is closely aligned with The Coca-Cola Company’s global sustainability ambitions. It includes our 2030 GHG emissions reduction target, which is approved by the Science Based Targets initiative as being in line with a 1.5°C reduction pathway and our commitments align with the targets which underpin the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
This is Forward has now been extended to cover our markets in Europe, Australia, the Pacific and Indonesia. It is a unified action plan that we will work towards in 29 countries across the world, and includes ambitious, time-bound sustainability commitments.
Our Headline Commitments
Forward on Climate
Decarbonise our business to reach net-zero emissions by 2040.
Our commitments and targets:
- Net zero GHG emissions (Scope 1,2 & 3) by 2040*
- Reduce GHG emissions (Scope 1,2 & 3) by 30% by 2030**
- Use 100% renewable electricity across all markets by 2030
- 100% of carbon strategic suppliers to set science-based targets for GHG emissions by 2023 (Europe) & 2025 (API)
- 100% of carbon strategic suppliers to use 100% renewable electricity by 2025 (Europe) & 2030 (API)
*Europe only versus 2019. This will be updated once our work to finalise a Group-wide commitment is completed
**Europe only versus 2019. In addition to a 30.5% absolute reduction already achieved between 2010 and 2019. This will be updated once our work to finalise a Group-wide commitment is completed
Forward on packaging
Achieve a world without waste by removing unnecessary packaging and making beverage packaging part of the circular economy.
Our commitments and targets:
- 100% of packaging to be recyclable by 2025
- 50% recycled plastic in our PET bottles in Europe by 2023. Other markets by 2025
- Stop using oil-based virgin plastic in our bottles by 2030
- Collect and recycle a bottle or a can for each one we sell by 2030
Forward on Water
Increase water security for all by addressing local water challenges and improving watershed health.
Our commitments and targets:
- Set context-based water targets at all manufacturing sites
- Replenish 100% of water we use in our beverages
- 100% regenerative water use in ‘leadership locations’ by 2030
Forward on Supply Chain
Work with our suppliers to build a sustainable, resilient and low-carbon supply chain.
Our commitments and targets:
- 100% of main agricultural ingredients and raw materials sourced sustainably
- 100% of suppliers to be covered by our Supplier Guiding Principles – including sustainability, ethics and human rights
Forward on Drinks
Offer consumers a broad choice of great-tasting drinks both with and without sugar.
Our commitments and targets:
Sugar Reduction:
- by 10% in Europe by 2025*
- by 20% in New Zealand by 2025**
- by 25% in Australia by 2025**
- by 35% in Indonesia by 2025**
- Low and No Calorie: Over 50% of sales to come from low or no-calorie drinks by 2030 (Europe by 2025)***
*Reduction in average sugar per litre in soft drinks portfolio since 2019. Sparkling soft drinks, non-carbonated soft drinks and flavoured water only. Does not include plain water or juice
**Reduction in average sugar per litre in NARTD portfolio since 2015. NARTD – non-alcoholic ready to drink.
***Does not include coffee, alcohol, beer or Freestyle. Low calorie beverages 20kcal/100ml. Zero calorie beverages <4kcal/100ml.
Forward on Society
Champion inclusion, challenge inequality and support economic mobility.
Our commitments and targets:
- 45% of management positions to be held by women by 2030
- A third of our workforce to be women by 2030
- 10% of our workforce represented by people with disabilities by 2030
- Support the skills development of 500,000 people facing barriers in the labour market by 2030
Our progress in 2021
Our approach to reporting
Taken together, the 2021 Integrated Report and the 'Forward on' sections of our website constitute our 2021 Sustainability Stakeholder Report.
In our download centre you can find a comprehensive collection of our sustainability disclosures, including factsheets and verification statements, and disclosure against frameworks such as GRI, TCFD and SASB.
Our Sustainability Stakeholder Report contains a full year of data from 1 January, 2021 to 31 December, 2021 and covers our global business operations in Europe and API.
Listening to our stakeholders
Our stakeholders have high expectations of us to address many of today’s societal and environmental challenges. They are part of our business and play a vital role in our success at every stage in our value chain. From the suppliers that provide our raw materials, to the communities where we operate and the people who make and sell our products, their views and priorities play an integral role in the development of our sustainability action plan.
This is Forward was developed following extensive consultation in Europe with over 100 of our key stakeholders – including governments, NGOs, shareholders, customers, suppliers – as well as 12,000 consumers across six countries, and more than 1,000 of our own employees.
As we work towards our sustainability goals, we continue to listen closely to our stakeholders’ concerns on the issues that matter most to them and our business. These include the climate emergency, the effects of litter and pollution, the level of sugar in our drinks and the role we play in our communities. We value their insights and we engage with them throughout the year to ensure their views are reflected in our sustainability strategy as it develops.
We also continue to respond to feedback from our stakeholders to ensure our progress on key sustainability issues, and how we report on it, meets their expectations. In 2021 we invited a group of internal and external stakeholders to share their feedback on the format and content of our Stakeholder Report and have incorporated the findings in the development of this year’s publication.
Sustainability governance
Our aim is to ensure we have strong governance over sustainability issues. In 2022 we strengthened our internal governance routines on sustainability including a new Sustainability SteerCo led by our CEO, and Sustainability Working Group to provide governance for all company-wide workstreams attended by both CCEP and TCCC.
In 2021, following the acquisition, we held a series of workshops with colleagues across our European and API markets, with TCCC, to explore how we align our sustainability commitments, integrate existing market level commitment where relevant and evolve This is Forward to include API.
- Drinks
- Packaging
- Society
- Water
- Climate
- Supply Chain
Today, people are looking for a broader variety of drink options, including low and no calorie drinks, to fit a greater range of moments and occasions. Working with TCCC and other franchisors, we’re evolving our business in line with these changes.
We’re committed to ensuring that 50% of our sales come from low and no calorie drinks by 2025. We're also making it easier for consumers to cut down on sugar by providing straightforward product information, and by making smaller and more convenient pack sizes more readily available.
We’re committed to leading the way towards a circular economy where 100% of our packaging is collected, reused or recycled. Together with The Coca-Cola Company, we see this as one of our most urgent sustainability priorities.
We’re committed to ensuring that at least 50% of the material we use for PET bottles will be made from recycled plastic (rPET) by 2023 and aiming to reach 100% recycled or renewable plastic in the future.
We’re determined to make a positive difference in society by promoting inclusion, diversity and economic development, both in our workplaces and in our local communities.
We have a target for at least 40% of leadership positions at CCEP to be held by women by 2025. We help address societal issues within communities across our territories through employee volunteering and by supporting local community partnerships, with a focus on initiatives which help young people gain the employability, skills and confidence they need to succeed.
Water is the main ingredient in our products and essential to our manufacturing processes. To ensure a sustainable supply of water, we’re taking a value chain approach to water management.
We’re aiming to reduce the water we use in our manufacturing operations by 20% by 2025, as well as addressing water impacts within our supply chain. We’re also aiming to replenish 100% of the water we use in areas of water stress through community based partnerships.
The world is at a critical point and we must all play our part to cut Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions.
Over the last decade, we’ve reduced GHG emissions across our entire value chain by 30.5%. We have now accelerated our ambition to decarbonise our business and have committed to reduce absolute GHG emissions across our full value chain by 30% by 2030 (vs. 2019). This has been validated by the Science Based Target Initiative (SBTi) as being in line with the pathway to limit global warming to 1.5ºC. Our ambition is to be Net Zero by 2040. Critical to achieving this ambition is mobilising our suppliers. We will aim for 100% of our strategic suppliers to set science-based targets by 2023, shift to 100% renewable electricity and share their carbon footprint data with us.
We have an immediate 3-year plan, supported by a €250m investment and underpinned by the inclusion of a carbon reduction target in our long-term management incentive plan.
Population growth, increased demand for food products and climate change are putting our supply chains under increasing pressure. We’re committed to sourcing our agricultural ingredients and raw materials sustainably and responsibly.
To make our drinks, we have to ensure that all the ingredients we use are of high quality and sourced sustainably. We also rely on other raw materials such as pulp and paper to make our packaging. We’ve made a joint commitment with TCCC to ensure that 100% of our main agricultural ingredients and raw materials are sourced sustainably.
Our stories
