By India Resource Center
Posted: April 28, 2008

Responding to a question about Coca-Cola's sponsorship of the Olympic Torch Relay at the Coca-Cola shareholders meeting last week, Mr. Isdell, CEO of Coca-Cola, defended the sponsorship by referring to the Olympic Torch as a symbol of hope and openness. At about the same time, the Olympic Torch was being run in New Delhi, India. On hand were over 15,000 armed security personnel, including Indian paramilitary forces and Chinese security, and the public was largely banned from attending. Surely Mr. Isdell got it wrong? The Olympic Torch being paraded through a hastily shortened route in New Delhi surrounded by some of the tightest security the city has ever seen with the public largely kept away is hardly symbolic of the hope and openness that the Olympic Torch supposedly symbolizes.

Respondiendo a una pregunta acerca del patrocinio de Coca-Cola en el Recorrido de la Antorcha Olímpica durante una reunión de accionistas de Coca-Cola, el Sr. Isdell, Presidente Ejecutivo de la firma, defendió el patrocinio refiriéndose a la Antorcha Olímpica como un símbolo de esperanza y apertura. Aproximadamente en ese mismo momento, la Antorcha Olímpica estaba pasando por Nueva Delhi, India. Estaban preparados más de 15,000 personas armadas de seguridad, incluyendo fuerzas paramilitares indias y personal chino de seguridad; al público en gran medida le fue prohibido asistir. ¡Ciertamente el Sr. Isdell entendió mal! La Antorcha Olímpica paseada a través de una ruta precipitadamente acortada en Nueva Delhi, rodeada de una seguridad tan fuerte como nunca vista en la ciudad, con el público mantenido a distancia, es difícilmente el símbolo de esperanza y de apertura que la Antorcha Olímpica supuestamente simboliza

Factsheet on Coca-Cola in English

Coca-Cola Hechos en Español

Coca-Cola Fatos no Português

Coca-Cola Fakten auf Deutsch

By India Resource Center
Posted: April 16, 2008

Coca-Cola shareholders should be extremely concerned that the Coca-Cola company continues to increase its liabilities in India by engaging in unethical practices, shareholders were told at the Coca-Cola annual general meeting in Wilmington today. A recent study funded by Coca-Cola confirmed that the company's bottling plants contribute to severe water shortages around some of its bottling plants in India. The report also recommended the closure of a bottling plant in Kala Dera in Rajasthan and cautioned Coca-Cola on the declining water tables in Mehdiganj in Uttar Pradesh.

By India Resource Center
Posted: March 31, 2008

Over 1500 villagers marched to the Coca-Cola company's bottling plant in Mehdiganj in Varanasi in India yesterday demanding that the bottling plant shut down immediately. Breaking a police barrier that attempted to keep the protesters 300 meters from the bottling plant, the villagers held a rally at the plant's gate accusing the company of creating severe water shortages in the area and polluting the water and land. The march and rally against Coca-Cola in Mehdiganj in the latest in a series of protests against the company in India where communities have accused Coca-Cola bottling plants for exacerbating the water crises through heavy extraction of water from the groundwater resource and polluting the groundwater and soil.

Más de 1500 pobladores marcharon ayer hacia la planta embotelladora de Coca-cola en Mehdiganj, Varanasi, India en demanda del cierre inmediato. Traspasando una barrera policial que pretendía mantener a los manifestantes a una distancia de 300 metros de la planta embotelladora, los pobladores de la villa realizaron una demostración de fuerza en las puertas de la planta, acusando a la compañía de haber creado una severa escasez de agua en el área y de haber contaminado el agua y los terrenos.

By India Resource Center
Posted: March 28, 2008

The Coca-Cola company and its CEO, Mr. Neville Isdell, must be congratulated for some excellent public relations work lately, and in particular, in India. Neville Isdell was the "guest editor" of the Economic Times on March 17, 2008 and he used the platform provided him to pull off a wonderful public relations coup that would make marketing textbooks - create an image of itself that it clearly is not. The Economic Times published an opinion by us setting the record straight.

By India Resource Center
Posted: March 17, 2008

The Coca-Cola company has continued to accuse us of making erroneous statements "not based on facts" and have claimed that the only reason they are targets of the campaign is because they are a well known brand. Earlier this year, however, Coca-Cola got a rude awakening when an assessment of their operations in India that they paid for and conducted by an ally of Coca-Cola validated what the communities have been saying all along.

La compañía Coca-Cola continúa acusándonos de divulgar hechos erróneos "que no están basados en la verdad" y ha declarado que la única razón de que ella sea el blanco de la campaña es debido a que es una marca bien conocida. A principios de este año, Coca-Cola fue sacudida fuertemente cuando una evaluación de sus operaciones en India, costeada por ellos y realizada por uno de los aliados de la compañía, certificó lo que las comunidades han estado diciendo todo el tiempo.

By India Resource Center
Posted: March 4, 2008

The community of Mehdiganj and Coca-Cola affected communities in India are working with communities, elected officials, local, state and national government officials, people’s movements, non-governmental organizations and international groups to challenge the eroding right to water and asserting the fundamental human right to water. Join us for an conference on the right to water in Mehdiganj on March 28 and 29 followed by a march and demonstration against the Coca-Cola bottling plant on March 30.

By India Resource Center
Posted: January 15, 2008

In a major blow to the Coca-Cola company in India, a report by its ally, the Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), has called for the closure of one of its bottling plants in India - in the village of Kala Dera in the state of Rajasthan. Citing the widespread water shortages being experienced by villages around Coca-Cola's bottling plant, the report by TERI released yesterday recommends that either the Coca-Cola bottling find alternative sources of water - a highly impractical option - or either relocate or shut down the plant altogether. The report came as the result of high profile student-led campaigns in the US, Canada and the UK. The report by TERI is a damning indictment of Coca-Cola's operations in India.

By India Resource Center
Posted: October 25, 2007

Over 600 people marched and rallied against the Coca-Cola bottling plant in the village of Sinhachawar in Ballia district in India yesterday, demanding that the plant be shut down permanently. The community has accused the bottling plant of pollution and also illegally occupying land held by the village council. "We are demanding that the Coca-Cola bottling plant cease its operations permanently because they are destroying our land and water, the very source of our livelihoods," said Mr. Baliram Ram of the Coca-Cola Bhagao, Krishi Bachao Sangharsh Samiti, the main organizer of the protest.

By India Resource Center
Posted: October 15, 2007

The state government of Kerala has initiated the process of filing criminal charges against the Coca-Cola company for pollution. In a notice to the Coca-Cola company on Friday, October 12, the Kerala State Pollution Control Board has asked the company to show cause as to why a criminal case should not be filed against it for polluting the environment. The action by the state government comes directly as a result of a longstanding demand of the campaign that the Coca-Cola company must also be held criminally liable for the damages it has caused in the community of Plachimada in India.

By India Resource Center
Posted: July 30, 2007

The Coca-Cola company has recently announced, to much fanfare, a three-year, US$20 million partnership with the World Wildlife Fund on water conservation. At face value, such an announcement is obviously welcome. After all, who would object to water conservation projects in a world where over 1 billion people still lack access to clean drinking water? But the announcement by Coca-Cola deserves scrutiny - something sorely lacking from the media and even NGO's - primarily because it is the Coca-Cola company that is announcing water conservation projects.

La compañía Coca-Cola con gran fanfarria ha anunciado recientemente una alianza de tres años por valor de US$20 millones con el World Wildlife Fund (Fondo Mundial para la Vida Silvestre) para conservación del agua. A simple vista, obviamente tal anuncio sería bienvenido. Después de todo, ¿quién se opondría a un proyecto de conservación de agua en un mundo donde más de 1 billón de personas todavía carece de agua potable? Sin embargo, el anuncio de Coca Cola merece ser escrutado a fondo - algo que los medios no hacen, ni siquiera las ONGs - principalmente porque es nada menos que la compañía Coca Cola la que anuncia estos proyectos de conservación de agua.

By India Resource Center
Posted: June 30, 2007

The India Resource Center organized a protest at Coca-Cola's new World of Coke museum to bring attention to the company's human rights and environmental abuses. "The World of Coke museum is a fairy tale land, and the real side of Coke is littered with abuses. We are here to set the record straight." Protesters also delivered a large picture of a protest against Coca-Cola in India as an exhibit to be added to the museum.

By India Resource Center
Posted: June 4, 2007

In a shocking finding, another Coca-Cola bottling plant in India has been found to be operating in complete violation of environmental laws and regulations in India. A fact-finding team led by the India Resource Center to a Coca-Cola bottling plant in Sinhachawar in the state of Uttar Pradesh issued a report today detailing the violations. Specifically, the team found that the plant is indiscriminately dumping its sludge, considered to be industrial hazardous waste, across the plant premises, in complete violation of the laws regarding handling and disposal of industrial hazardous waste in India. The Effluent Treatment Plant was non-operational, and the bottling plant was discharging its wastewater into surrounding agricultural fields and a canal that feeds into the river Ganges. The plant did not disclose the amount of hazardous waste being used and generated, as required by the Supreme Court of India for all industrial units in India that deal with hazardous waste.

En un impresionante hallazgo, se encontró que otra de las plantas embotelladoras de Coca-Cola en India estaba operando en total violación de las leyes ambientales y regulaciones del país. Un equipo encabezado por el India Resource Center evaluó una planta embotelladora en Sinhachawar, en el estado de Uttar Pradesh y emitió el día de hoy un informe detallando las violaciones. Específicamente, el equipo encontró que la planta elimina indiscriminadamente sus residuos, considerados como desechos industriales peligrosos, en sus terrenos violando completamente las leyes Indias relacionadas con el manejo y eliminación de residuos peligrosos. La Planta de Tratamiento de Efluentes no estaba funcionando y se estaban descargando las aguas de desecho en campos agrícolas cercanos y en un canal que desemboca en el Río Ganges. La planta no reveló la cantidad de residuos peligrosos que se usan y que se generan, según lo exige la Corte Suprema de India para todas las unidades industriales en el país que manejen residuos peligrosos.

By India Resource Center
Posted: May 30, 2007

In another victory for the International Campaign to Hold Coca-Cola Accountable, Smith College in the US has decided not to renew its contract with the Coca-Cola company. The president of Smith College, Carol T. Christ, made the announcement in a letter to Coca-Cola yesterday. The decision by Smith College specifically bars the Coca-Cola company from participating in the upcoming soft drink bidding process. Coca-Cola's seven year contract with Smith College expires on August 31, 2007

By India Resource Center
Posted: April 16, 2007

The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), the group that is assessing Coca-Cola's operations in India, has a long and cushy history with the Coca-Cola company. Coca-Cola India is an active funder of TERI and is listed as a corporate sponsor of TERI. TERI has named Coca-Cola as among the most responsible companies in India in 2001. Groups in India campaigning against Coca-Cola have rejected the choice of TERI as the independent assessor of Coca-Cola's operations in India.

El Instituto para Energía y Recursos (TERI), que es el grupo que está asesorando las operaciones de Coca Cola en India, tiene un largo y complaciente historial con la compañía. Coca Cola India es un patrocinador activo del TERI y está en la lista de patrocinadores corporativos del TERI. En 2001, el TERI nombró a la Coca Cola como una de las compañías más responsables en India. Los grupos en India que realizan la campaña en contra de Coca Cola han rechazado la presencia del TERI como asesor independiente de las operaciones de la Coca Cola en India.

By India Resource Center
Posted: April 5, 2007

Students at the University of Guelph in Canada have voted to remove Coca-Cola products from campus because of the company's unethical practices in India and Colombia. A referendum calling for replacing Coca-Cola products with "an alternate beverage supplier" received 65% of the votes last week. Coca-Cola's 10-year contract with the University of Guelph is set to expire in August 2007, and it seems very unlikely that it will be renewed given the student mandate. "Students have voiced their opinions loudly and clearly. We want ethical choices on this campus," said Becky Wallace of the Central Student Association at the University of Guelph. "We are breaking our brand loyalty to Coca-Cola and standing up for human rights and the environment in India and Colombia," she said.

By India Resource Center
Posted: January 7, 2007

It is with great sorrow that we announce that Ms. Mailamma, the leader of the anti-Coca-Cola struggle in Plachimada in Kerala, passed away on January 6, 2007. Mailamma was a central figure in the campaign to hold Coca-Cola accountable for water shortages and pollution in the area, and it was under her leadership that the community forced the Coca-Cola bottling plant to shut down in March 2004. Mailamma, a member of the Eravalar tribe, was a champion of human rights, and she was the founder of the Coca-Cola Virudha Samara Samiti (Anti Coca-Cola Struggle Committee) in Plachimada which has spearheaded the campaign against Coca-Cola.