Strategic Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) Plan for Coca-Cola

Strategic Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) Plan for Coca-Cola
Abstract
This report looks at diversity issues within Coca-Cola. It discusses how the company has been accused of discrimination in the past and looks at what the company is doing to improve diversity within its workforce. The report makes several recommendations to Coca-Cola on how it can further improve diversity within the company.
The issue in Coca-Cola is the lack of diversity in its workforce. For example, females are only 38.7% of the total workforce. White people are 50% of the workforce, which shows that white ethnicities and males are preferred in the company.
Coca-Cola is recommended to invest in a comprehensive DEI training program at different levels. Besides, there needs to be a transparent and accountable DEI system with a written DEI policy and regular employee training. It should also create a climate of trust where employees feel comfortable sharing candid insights. The company should create a diversity and inclusion council where the feedback and complaints from diversity are listened to and welcomed.
Strategic Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) Plan for Coca-Cola
Introduction
Cultural diversity is the quality of diverse cultures, which can be found in communities worldwide. The word “culture” refers to a group of people’s customs, traditions, and beliefs. “Diversity” means that different cultures can promote creativity and innovation, as people from different cultures bring different perspectives and ideas (Bernstein et al., 2020). It can also help build strong communities, as people from different cultures learn to appreciate and respect each other. Cultural diversity is essential, not only in the world today but also in the future. As the world becomes more globalized, it is becoming increasingly important for people to understand and respect different cultures (Chiu et al., 2019). Continued cultural diversity will help ensure the world continues to be a vibrant and exciting place to live in. The report aims to analyze Coca-Cola’s diversity issues and provide recommendations and interventions to strengthen its corporate image by recruiting a diverse workforce.
About Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is the US based organization, engaged in trading non-alcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups. It gained popularity since it launched its flagship product Coca-Cola, invented in 1886 by pharmacist John Stith Pemberton in Columbus, Georgia. One of the Coca-Cola pioneers is Asa Griggs Candler, who brought its formula and brand in 1889 (December 21, 1851 – March 12, 1929), and eventually the company was incorporated in 1892. The company has been a public company since 1936 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. It is the leading provider of soft juices, juice, and ready-to-drink teas and coffees. The Coca-Cola Company also has a minority equity interest in Monster Beverage Corporation (Coca-Cola, 2022).
The Coca-Cola Company’s portfolio includes 20 billion-dollar brands, 19 of which are available in lower- or no-sugar options. These brands include Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Coca-Cola Zero, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Light, Powerade, and Minute Maid. The Company’s product lines include a fountain, energy, sports, and juice drinks. It operates in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. The Coca-Cola Company is ranked No. 12 on the Fortune 500 list of America’s largest corporations. Coca-Cola was first sold in Georgia under “Pemberton’s Drink.” It was bought by Asa Candler, who employed his brother Benjamin F. Candler as the company’s first president (Coca-Cola, 2021). Coke became a national drink and launched international expansion, advertising its product in various languages and becoming the world’s most popular soft drink.
Identification of Main Issues in Coca-Cola
The Coca-Cola Company has been the focus of criticism about claims of discriminatory behavior. In the United States, African American employees have filed lawsuits alleging that they were subjected to racial discrimination by Coca-Cola. These lawsuits claimed that Coca-Cola discriminated against African American employees in recruitment, selection, promotion, compensation, job classification, and training and development. The lawsuits also claimed that Coca-Cola’s workplace was hostile to African American employees. These lawsuits were consolidated into a class action lawsuit in 2007 (Chiu et al., 2019). In response, Coca-Cola has changed its recruitment and hiring practices, implemented anti-discrimination policies, and offered financial compensation to affected employees.
In the United Kingdom, allegations of discrimination by Coca-Cola have also been made. In 2006, a group of black British employees filed a lawsuit against the company alleging that they had been subjected to race discrimination in recruitment and promotion. The lawsuit claimed that white employees were given preferential treatment regarding promotion, salary increases, and job assignments (Coca-Cola, 2021). The lawsuit was settled in 2007 for an undisclosed amount. In both the United States and the United Kingdom, Coca-Cola has responded to allegations of discrimination by implementing anti-discrimination policies and offering financial compensation to affected employees (Davis et al., 2022). These policies have been seen as a step in the right direction by many individuals, but there is still concern that Coca-Cola does not fully comply with anti-discrimination laws.
Figure 1 shows the composition of gender and other ethnicities in Coca-Cola. It is observed that females are only 38.7% of the total workforce, whereas white people are given preference in the job. White people are 50% of the workforce, whereas the other seven ethnicities make up 50%, which shows a huge difference in recruiting white vs. non-white and males vs. females (Coca-Cola, 2021).
Figure 1: DEI Recruitment of Coca-Cola
(Source: Coca-Cola, 2021)
The causes of discrimination in Coca-Cola are based on the following sections:
Male Dominant Workforce
The pie chart in figure 1 shows that the working environment of Coca-Cola is male dominant as females are only 39% of the total workforce (Coca-Cola, 2021)
Ethnicities
Figure 1 also shows that the company is highly racist. In Coca-Cola. 50% of the workforce is from white ethnicities. Asian is 7.2%, Black is 20.9%, and Hispanic is 14.8%. The differences in recruitment are why racism conflicts among employees in daily routines. It also shows that limited job opportunities for ethnicities make Coca-Cola a controversial organization (Coca-Cola, 2021).
Goals/Opportunities to Increase DEI within Coca-Cola
Achieving diversity and inclusion are the responsibility of all Coca-Cola employees. The company should promote these values and help employees understand that they are essential, not just because it is the right thing to do but also because it makes good business sense. The company should continue monitoring its workforce data to identify potential issues and disparities and ensure that its policies and practices effectively achieve diversity and inclusion (Sei...