The Origin and Evolution of Coca-Cola’s Workplace Values

In May 1886 as a one man business in Atlanta, GA, Dr. John Pemberton, a Pharmacist who created the noncarbonated drink as medicine used as a medical elixir, nerve, and brain tonic during the origin(s) and subsequent evolution of Coca-cola started. Later carbonated dihydrogen monoxide was integrated into the drink presently known as Coca-Cola. Robert Goizueta is the current operator of Coca-Cola, thinks that without people the company would not be victorious. Coca-Cola believes that employees and bellwethers in the company will live their personal and workplace values. Diversity is the heart of the company and Coca-Cola encourages diversity at each of their plant and corporate locations. The company does their very best to develop a workplace environment that provides employees the same opportunity to advance, develop, and access information to all employees. Coca-Cola states they want to “Create a diverse, healthy and safe work environments aligned with internationally respected human rights principles” (The Coca-Cola Company, 2012). Employees’ actions will serve as a compass for how to behave in the workplace as well as in their personal lives. Values Driving Coca-Cola’s Actions

Coca-Cola believes in living their values. Their actions describe their behavior in the world. Coca Cola has seven main values that drive their actions and behaviors. The seven values are accountability, collaboration, diversity, integrity, leadership, passion, and quality. Coca-Cola’s leadership shapes to improve their future. Their leaders include the board of directors, operations, and senior functional leadership. Using collaboration produces Coca-Cola’s leverage for collectively working together. Their integrity is to be genuine or honest with their customers. Coca-Cola’s responsibility is to show they are accountable for their actions. They show their passion by experiencing commitment in heart and mind as anyone would want for him or herself in life. Coca-Cola uses a diversity of brands in their products. It means everything to the company to keep their quality good so that customers will keep coming back. As an individual, these values are important in everyday life. When someone has passion for what he or she does it will make the value better.

Organization’s Stated Values verses the Organization’s Actual Plans and Actions When reviewing Coca-Cola’s listed values versus the values they live by, there are many similarities. The Coca-Cola organization provides seven core values in the workplace that consist of “leadership, collaboration, passion, integrity, quality, diversity, and accountability” (The Coca-Cola Company, 2012), which serve as a scope for the company’s actions and illustrates how the company performs worldwide. Coca-Cola is a classic American organization; however, the Coca-Cola organization is known globally as one of the most successful companies in the marketplace, and the company is not only known in the United States, they are also known internationally in other countries within Europe and Asia. Furthermore, the organization plans and actions support their diversity values, which consist of more than 120,000 employees across the world and above 500 various products that display diversity in employment as well as created products by the organization.

The Coca-Cola organization is praised for their diversity attempts that landed the organization in the number three place of the hugest on-site go green power generators by the Environmental Protection Agency. The Coca-Cola organization promotes a “2020 Vision” strategy that fosters a long-standing purpose for the organization and offers a roadmap for a competitive attitude that focuses on trends with other bottling affiliates, producing supportable packaging resolutions, constructing a company that cherishes diversity, and aid consumers to yield educated beverage choices (The Coca-Cola Company, 2012). The values of Coca-Cola include the set mission, which consist of creativity, inspiration, act with urgency, consumer satisfaction, the brand to promote happiness, and the ability to refresh the world that will make a difference. Meanwhile, the Coca-Cola organization’s values drive the company to remain competitive and take a leadership position that properly meets the needs of the consumer in the marketplace. Nonetheless, the organization understands the importance to be a vital community citizen and remain responsible for its actions. Value Alignment between Individuals and Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola makes a concerted effort to align the values of their organization with both their employees and customers. This alignment of values is evident in the company’s shared-value approach to doing business. This approach is intended “to appeal to consumers and stakeholders who increasingly judge companies and brands as much on the content of their character as the quality of goods and services they produce and market,” (“Coca-Cola focuses on ‘shared value’,”2012, para. 1). The organization is aware that consumers are well-informed and advances in technology have increased the lines of communication between the company and their consumers and Coca-Cola wants to demonstrate their commitment to becoming an industry leader in corporate citizenship.

With more than 27 million fans on Facebook, Coca-Cola’s presence within the realm of social media is second only to the Starbucks Corporation and this allows the company to stay in tune with the needs and concerns of their consumers. Coca-Cola has been proactive and collaborated with other successful companies including The Ford Motor Company, The H.J. Heinz Company, Nike, and Procter & Gamble in “the development and use if 100 percent PET plant-based materials and fiber in their products” (“Coca-Cola focuses on ‘shared value’,”2012, para. 6). Conclusion

After the company’s modest inception to becoming the leader in the beverage industry, the Coca-Cola Company always has placed a premium on both the individual values of their employees in the workplace and the consumers who purchase its products. Coca-Cola envisions a 90% global market penetration in the beverage industry by the year of 2020, and this will require the company to consider and understand the values that exist in the consumers residing within the various countries they do business.

References

Coca-Cola focuses on ‘shared value’. (2012, July). Beverage Industry, 103(7), 8-8. MasterFILE Premier The Coca-Cola Company. (2012). Citizenship. Retrieved from http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/citizenship/our_workplace.html The Coca-Cola Company. (2012). Mission, Vision & Values. Retrieved from http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/ourcompany/mission_vision_values.html