Chaipat Jingjitra MA1N0238
Coca-Cola Company
If I can choose one company has committed to good corporate governance I would choose
Coca-Cola Company because if we look back to company history we will understand why this
company being number one in soda industry in the world. However, before I get into it I would
like to brief introduction about this company first.
The Coca-Cola Company is an American multinational beverage corporation and manufacturer,
retailer and marketer of nonalcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups, which is headquartered
in Atlanta, Georgia. The company is best known for its flagship product Coca-Cola, invented in
1886 by pharmacist John Stith Pemberton in Columbus, Georgia. The Coca-Cola formula and
brand was bought in 1889 by Asa Griggs Candler (December 30, 1851 - March 12, 1929), who
incorporated The Coca-Cola Company in 1892. The company operates a franchised distribution
system dating from 1889 where The Coca-Cola Company only produces syrup concentrate
which is then sold to various bottlers throughout the world who hold an exclusive territory. The
Coca-Cola Company owns its anchor bottler in North America, Coca-Cola Refreshments.
Coco-Cola Company has a good guideline to lead the company into global business and ethics.
We are guided by our established standards of corporate governance and ethics. We review our
systems to ensure we achieve international best practices in terms of transparency and
accountability. The foundation of our approach to corporate governance is laid out in our
Corporate Governance Guidelines and in the charters of our Board of Directors’ committees.
Corporate Responsibility
Corporate responsibility is managed through the Public Policy and Corporate Reputation
Council, a cross-functional group of senior managers from our Company and bottling partners.
The Council identifies risks and opportunities faced by our business and communities and
recommends strategies to address these challenges.
Ethics & Compliance
The core of the ethics and compliance program at The Coca-Cola Company is our Code of
Business Conduct. The Code guides our business conduct, requiring honesty and integrity in all
matters. All of our associates and directors are required to read and understand the Code and
follow its precepts in the workplace and larger community.
Chaipat Jingjitra MA1N0238
The Code is administered by our Ethics & Compliance Committee. This cross-functional senior
management team oversees all our ethics and compliance programs and determines Code
violations and discipline. Our Ethics & Compliance Office has operational responsibility for
education, consultation, monitoring and assessment related to the Code of Business Conduct and
compliance issues. Associates worldwide receive a variety of ethics and compliance training
courses administered by the Ethics & Compliance Office. We regularly monitor and audit our
business to ensure compliance with the Code and the law. We also maintain a consistent set of
best-in-class standards around the world that govern how we investigate and handle Code issues.
In 2008, we revised the Code to further improve its effectiveness.
To ensure an ongoing commitment to and understanding of our Code of Business Conduct, we
offer online training to all associates with Company-provided computers discussing topics
related to ethics and compliance, including our Anti-Bribery Policy. All newly hired associates
receive the training upon hire and all others receive the training at least once every three years. In
2010, approximately 22,000 employees (management and non-management) certified their
compliance with the Code of Business Conduct and the Company's anti-bribery requirements. In
addition to a number of optional training courses on various topics, associates are requested to
participate in ethics training on an annual basis, resulting in an average of 60 minutes of ethics
training per associate per year.
Our associates, bottling partners, suppliers, customers and consumers can ask questions about
our Code and other ethics and compliance issues, or report potential violations, through
EthicsLine, a global Web and telephone information and reporting service. Telephone calls are
toll-free, and EthicsLine is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with translators
available.
Chaipat Jingjitra MA1N0238
Moreover, If you get into their website you will see a tons of information and all of this
information which is public accessibility such as Audit Committee charter, Annual Report,
Finance Committee charter etc. From my point of view Coca-Cola Company made a crystal
clear of business their revealed of all of information to public.
Coca-Cola Enterprises website
The Coca-Cola Company is committed to good corporate governance, which promotes the longterm interests of shareowners, strengthens Board and management accountability and helps build
public trust in the Company.
The Board is elected by the shareowners to monitor their interest in the long-term health and the
overall success of the business and its financial strength. The Board serves as the ultimate
decision making body of the Company, except for those matters reserved to or shared with the
shareowners. The Board selects and oversees the members of senior management, who are
charged by the Board with conducting the business of the Company.
The Board of Directors has established Corporate Governance Guidelines which provide a
framework for the effective governance of the Company. The guidelines address matters such as
Chaipat Jingjitra MA1N0238
the Board’s mission, Director responsibilities, Director qualifications, determination of Director
independence, Board committee structure, Chief Executive Officer performance evaluation and
management succession. The Board regularly reviews developments in corporate governance
and updates the Corporate Governance Guidelines and other governance materials as it deems
necessary and appropriate.
The Company’s corporate governance materials, including the Corporate Governance
Guidelines, the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws, the charters for each Board
committee, the Company’s Codes of Business Conduct, information about how to report
concerns about the Company and the Company’s public policy engagement and political
contributions policy, can be accessed by clicking on the links above.
Ultimately, There are many companies in this world is committed a good corporate governance
and this one’s extremely important, and too often skipped or overlooked before buying stock of
any companies you should check the information of that company because not every companies
as good as Coca-Cola Company.