When we joined the market half a century ago, our aim was to bring the best taste to Serbia and provide supreme refreshment. All these years later, we have become an integral part of the local community and a generator of positive change in the local economy.
This is also confirmed by the results of our study ‘The Socio-Economic Impact of the Coca-Cola system in Serbia’.
Our company has an enormous impact on the local economy, which has been increasing continuously over the years. The business operations of the Coca-Cola system, including Bambi, create 291 million euros of added value, while direct and indirect taxes paid by the system along its value chains stands at 159 million euros. The system also employs 1,700 people in Serbia and supports an additional 14,400 jobs in related businesses and sectors, as shown in the study that analyses 2019 business data.
“Coca-Cola is a valuable contributor to the local economy in the countries where it operates because it employs local people, generates income, supports market development and revenues for the tax system”, says Svetoslav Atanasov, General Manager of Coca-Cola HBC Serbia, adding: “The entire value chain we create in Serbia is the result of exceptional cooperation with the state administration and institutions, cooperation with customers, suppliers and partners, but also our commitment to invest in the development of the community.”
Predictable business conditions and government responsiveness are conditions for our company’s growth and development and for attracting foreign investors in general.
The predictability of the regulatory and business environment, for all areas of business from tax policy and legislation on environmental protection to fair market conditions, the fight against the grey economy and streamlining of cross-border trade exchange are crucial for the business operations and sustainable growth of any system, be it large or small. In this context, NALED’s efforts focused on improving business conditions are essential, and the Grey Book is an excellent example of a constructive approach: presenting not only issues and challenges, but also offering proposals and sustainable solutions that work for the benefit of all.
As the company has been present in Serbia for more than half a century, the Coca-Cola system actively contributes to environmental protection, lowering our carbon footprint by using energy from sustainable sources, implementing responsible waste management and investing heavily in the latest technology in wastewater treatment facilities. We are the leader in the FMCG industry and a responsible company that plans to stay in Serbia and record even higher growth. This is confirmed by the title of the most successful beverage producer in Europe in 2020, according to the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices.
The ambitious objectives set at the corporate level for 2025-2030 will be attained in Serbia if there is continued cooperation on implementing reforms between public and private sectors, the expert public and the entire community. While creating future plans and incentives, 2020 should therefore not be forgotten.
The year behind us has demonstrated the state’s willingness to help businesses and people, and the agility of the private sector in supporting the local community where it operates. In partnership with the Red Cross, the Coca-Cola Foundation provided aid for a total of 200,000 dollars for the most vulnerable and donated our products to healthcare workers across Serbia. During the crisis, we have focused on supporting smallscale entrepreneurship, especially in underdeveloped areas of Serbia, as well as in the HoReCa sector, which suffered serious consequences.
The global pandemic and the new reality demonstrated the incredible strength of the mutual partnership of the state and the private sector, showing that PROVEN TRUST IS A SOLID BASIS FOR A LONG LASTING PARTNERSHIP and joint growth in years to come.
