Soft (Drink) Power

In: FP, Heft 200

Abstract

In an interview, Coca-Cola Co chairman and CEO Muhtar Kent, talked about how global power dynamics are shifting and what that means, tactically and strategically, for a $180 billion company dealing with customers and governments in more than 200 countries, from Suriname to Vietnam. He said that businesses need to proactively create models that make a difference in society and let everyone else use them, talk about them, emulate them -- and build on them. An example is Coca-Cola's "5 by 20" campaign, a movement to enable the economic empowerment of 5 million women entrepreneurs by 2020 by bringing capital, training, mentoring, and by working with governments. If they can create 5 million entrepreneurs in 10 years, just through one business working closely with government, working closely with organizations like the International Finance Corp, by working with Mexico City, Kinshasa, Buenos Aires, Delhi, or Mumbai, that's a big thing. Adapted from the source document.