Environmental programmes

In 2007, Coca‑Cola HBC Belarus started first restoration works at Yelnya bog in cooperation with local NGO APB Birdlife Belarus.  After the fire in 2002 which destroyed more than 70% of bog’s moss layer, it became obvious that recovery efforts should be implemented immediately before the real ecological disaster happens. Several volunteer camps were organised during the years to build dams, close the main drainage and raise water level in the bog and surrounding lakes. All the construction works were made manually due to the inability to use heavy equipment on wetland. More than 50 dams were built during the first part of the program. Due to the combined efforts of volunteers, local citizens and environmentalists there were no significant fires since 2008 and water level raised for 1 meter.

The fires were a serious cause for concern because the vast amounts of CO2 were discharged into the atmosphere. After the natural restoration, the bog will stop the emission of CO2 and start to absorb it. Since the Yelnya Bog covers the territory of more than 23 thousand hectares, it means that each year around 23 thousand tons of CO2 can be readily absorbed. This is equivalent to the total CO2 emissions from Coca‑Cola Hellenic’s plant in Belarus.

In 2015, within the frameworks of UNDP-GEF “Peatlands 2” project, implementation of 46 more industrial dams were constructed with the financial support of The Coca‑Cola Foundation. The monitoring of dams’ condition helps with scientific prognoses for further restoration of the bog.

The bog is the habitat for almost all species of flora and fauna that can be found at Belarusian upland bogs. Yelnya is an important place for migrating birds: 98 species live there permanently, 23 of which are included in the Red Book. In a strong belief that public attention is one of the most influential social forces Coca‑Cola HBC Belarus pays much attention to community awareness of Yelnya and other degraded peatbogs’ problem in Belarus. As a continuation of educational part of the project, the ecological center was opened in 2016 in local school in Germanovichi village in cooperation with Coca‑Cola HBC Belarus, UNDP and The Coca‑Cola Foundation.

In 2015, Coca‑Cola HBC Belarus joined the international initiative “Let’s Do It!/World Clean-up” under the aegis of Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection. Every year, thousands of volunteers clean cities all around Belarus.

A common initiative of Coca‑Cola HBC Belarus, local NGO and authorities of Turov meadow site cleanup has been successfully implemented since 2009. The initial aim of the programme was to protect the biological reserve and to preserve a unique place for birds to nest.

Every year, volunteers from Coca‑Cola HBC Belarus’ employees clean the banks of Prypiat river from waste and clear the area to allow hundreds of thousands of wading birds of more than 50 species to stay there during migration.

Over the years since the project implementation, local people have become aware of their environmental responsibility and the importance of the biological reserve to a sustainable ecosystem.

Since 1997, during World Water Week, the International final of the Stockholm Junior Water Prize takes place. Since 2007, Coca‑Cola HBC Belarus has supported the National stage of the competition and the participation of Belarusian representatives in the final.

All students aged 13 to 20 presented their research in the field of water resource management, with focus on a practical result.

In 2017, participants from all around Belarus submitted 102 projects. Upon jury decision, 14 projects were selected to be presented at the Republican final. The jury, among which were representatives from Coca‑Cola HBC Belarus, judged a complex approach to research, presentation skills and knowledge of the English language. The winner of the competition will represents Belarus in the International final in Stockholm with the financial support of Coca‑Cola HBC Belarus.