Outstanding achievements of 2021 – Coca-Cola HBC Hungary’s 2021 Sustainability Report is available

The year 2021 still brought with it the challenges of the pandemic that erupted in 2020, but our company emerged from the difficulties stronger, we successfully increased our market share, closed a prosperous financial year just like the previous year, and our Group again finished at the top of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) among beverage companies around the world.

Coca-Cola HBC Hungary have been reporting on its sustainability performance and progress every year since 2008. Since 2016, our Sustainability Report has been prepared on an annual reporting cycle, following the "Core" application level of the GRI Standards, the most widely used international reporting framework, and as before, we will report on our achievements and further goals also in our 2021 Sustainability Report.

Our number one priority during the pandemic, in 2020 and in 2021 as well, was to preserve the health and safety of our employees. In adapting to the new situation, we learned the good practices with which we were able to ensure business continuity. We set ourselves the goal of returning to a path of growth as quickly as possible. We implemented an organizational transformation within the company, with our focus on adaptation, and the changes we made allow us to make our processes more agile and efficient, and to adapt more easily to changing market situations.

For most of 2021, the company and industry as a whole were still defined by the pandemic. Several of our trade customer partners were forced to close or restructure, meaning we had to re-evaluate our business focus and marketing strategy. During the period following coronavirus restrictions, we ran major campaigns to support the re-launch of the hospitality industry.

We have also continued to work on improving our market position and customer satisfaction in order to make progress. As a responsible company, we are continuously improving our portfolio and reducing the sugar and calorie content of our drinks.  By developing our coffee category, we can further broaden our 24/7 portfolio, offering a relevant choice to consumers for whom coffee is not only a product but also a culture. The Coca-Cola HBC AG group has acquired a 30% stake in Casa del Caffè Vergnano, which preparations took place in 2021.

Ambitious goals for sustainable business operations have not been forgotten. Our biggest commitment is to reach carbon neutrality. Coca-Cola HBC AG is committed to making its entire value chain carbon neutral by 2040. The science-based target will reduce direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions across the entire value chain by 25% by 2030, and by a further 50% in the following decade. As 90% of emissions across the Group's value chain come from third parties, Coca-Cola HBC is expanding its agreements with suppliers to ensure that its partners can also make the greatest possible contribution to achieving the climate targets. Where the problem cannot be completely solved, the Group will mitigate it by investing in other climate initiatives.

As part of our World Without Waste strategy, we have run a very successful consumer promotion to educate and engage consumers in collective recycling. Management of packaging waste is a global problem and solving it will only be possible if we all work together, from big business to consumers. The 'Empty Bottles Also Matter' campaign encouraged consumers to be environmentally aware and promoted the selective collection of waste. During the campaign, participants were enlightened with practical information and received valuable prizes.

There was no lack of innovation in 2021, either. For the first time in the world our Hungarian consumers had the chance to try an innovative paper bottle prototype developed by Coca-Cola and Danish start-up Paboco. Based on customer feedback and the results of testing of the collected bottles, further development is currently ongoing, with the aim of creating a fully biodegradable and 100% recyclable paper bottle in the nearest future.

Our Zero Waste Tisza River program also continued in 2021: as a result of the success of the program, thanks to the support from The Coca-Cola Foundation, a grant of USD 150,000 will enable the awareness-raising program to continue for another year from September 2021. By continuing, the aim is to implement initiatives that can make a significant difference in the Tisza basin, getting closer to the root of the problem and a long-term solution.

#YouthEmpowered, our corporate responsibility program which supports equal opportunity on the labour market, continues to be a success story, with a digital platform expanding the range of participants in 2021.

Our annual Sustainability Report provides a comprehensive overview of our company's activities and achievements, which we can build together in the coming years.