A Design Thinking Report on Coca-Cola's Sustainable Packaging Project

This report examines Coca-Cola's application of design thinking principles to address sustainability challenges, specifically focusing on recyclable packaging and its environmental impact. The report begins with an executive summary highlighting the company's initiatives to improve its brand image and reduce its negative impact. It then provides an introduction to the issue of pollution and Coca-Cola's violation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG-12, and the need for recyclable products. The strategy section covers Coca-Cola's philosophy, structure, and innovation, including its values, mission, and strategic intent. The context section analyzes social, environmental, and viability factors, emphasizing the need for waste management and the potential for increased market share through sustainable practices. The report includes a budget, schedule, and deliverables for the project, outlining the resources, costs, and timeline involved in implementing a recyclable packaging strategy. The performance section discusses the functions and features of the proposed solution, emphasizing the benefits of recyclable materials and their impact on reducing environmental pollution. The report provides a comprehensive overview of Coca-Cola's design thinking approach to sustainability, its challenges, and potential solutions.

DESIGN THINKING

Executive summary
In recent time, many organizations taking their initiatives to design new product, and
make changes within existing, just to build their positive brand image in market and boost
current in effective manner. From current study, it has been determined that by taking initiative
to utilize recyclable raw materials for cans packaging, company has successfully overcome its
negative impact image all over the world. In term of this strategy, it has taken efforts to prevent
environment and beauty of nature from those factors that causes land, water and air pollution.
Furthermore, it has been analyzed from this report it that firm has gained competitive advantages
by conducting collaborative practices with trustworthy, and sustainable suppliers that has great
experience about purchase of quality and sustainable materials that has been used by many
companies for purpose of preventing land from being affected in term of pollution. COCA Cola
has utilized easy language and follow each principle related to design product which in return
has provided benefits in term of increasing degree of product purchase, in unexpected manner
that increases sales and profits margin of brand as well as maximize web tariff that is not easy to
increase.

Table of Contents
Executive summary...................................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................................4
Strategy...................................................................................................................................................5
Context....................................................................................................................................................6
Process.....................................................................................................................................................7
Performance............................................................................................................................................8
Post production........................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES........................................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
In the current era, majority of the people faces the issue of pollution and most of the top
brands also contribute the same. For example, Nestle, Pepsico pay huge amount as a penalty due
to violating the rules of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Government made compulsory
for the organizations to comply with all 17 SDG’s goals in order to its smooth running as well as
protect the society as well as environment. So, the chosen firm for this report is Coca-Cola
because the firm did not complied with the sustainability act which includes Break Free From
Plastic (BFFP) names Coca-Cola as a world’s largest plastic polluter for the second year running.
Another reason of choosing the firm is such that it responsible for 6% plastic in its global audit
during 2020 (Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Nestle names as world’s worst plastic polluter in 2020, 2020).
Therefore, it is reflected that company breach SDG, by implementing variety of tools which
exists to track and visualize the progress towards the goals. The report will provide the ways
through which company focused upon recyclable products and might be it becomes challenging
for the company to cope up with the problem.
The present study will describe why brand should focus upon recyclable products and if
not, companies have to pay fine as a penalty defined by the government. The report will examine
upon brands and why such companies should focused SDG in order to attain a better and more
sustainable future for all. Similarly, Coca-Cola complied with environmental laws in 2007 and
2008, but after being a brand image the company defined its worst records in the new report by
environmental campaigners with thousands of plastic items in dozens of countries. So, as per the
SDG-12, companies should focused upon less production of plastic bottles because it is harmful
for the environment, whereas companies like Coca-Cola violating the rules and that is why, there
is a need to focused upon the rules which help them to contribute towards a environment
protection.
Therefore, the present study will highlight the issues caused by Coca-Cola to the
environment. Whereas, individual are much more concerned about the environment, but top
beverage companies violating the same. So, to solve such kind of problem, the study will
introduce the solution where company have to focused upon recyclable plastic products and
minimize the production of plastic so that it does not cause any negative impact upon the
environment (Zaman and Newman, 2021). There are many key stakeholders involved within a

project such as employees, senior management, customers, government and different suppliers
etc. Also, study will describe the philosophy, structure and innovation as a key dimension of the
chosen firm. Along with this, study will also describe the core aim and objectives of the project
as well as its environmental sustainability and viability. Moreover, the report will also show the
performance of the chosen study by employing process as well as feature of the defined strategy.
Hence, it can be stated that through such company understand the need of focusing upon SDG’s
goals.
Strategy
Philosophy: Coca-Cola introduce its first glass at 1886 and originally it is marketed as a
drink and also used as a patent medicine. Also, the company has a strong marketing tactics that
helps them to increase the market share over the world during the 20th century. The name of the
brand refers to the two of its original ingredients Coca leaves and Kola nuts.

The values of the famous brand relied upon 7 key points such as leadership,
collaboration, integrity, accountability, passion diversity and quality (Yao, 2017).
The mission of Coca-Cola is to refresh the work and inspire moments of happiness
through the drink in order to create a value and make a difference between them,
The strategic intent of the company is to maximize the profit while maintaining long term
sustainable growth within a beverage industry. The company communicate with its customers
through effective marketing tools like, influencing marketing, TV, blog post, videos and photos
etc.
Structure: Coca-Cola is total beverage company which deals with the non-alcoholic
beverage and sold its products in more than 200 countries. As per the business model, it has been
identified that quoted business operates its business through concentrate business and Finished
products business. Such that within its concentrate business it generate the revenues by sold its
syrups to its relevant bottling partners (Ciafone, 2019). Therefore, it can be stated that company
have a strong brand performance and also operated within different areas. Between both
horizontal and vertical integration, company only uses vertical integration in which soda industry
is trending. On the other side, there are many competitive advantage such that its marketing
leading position is owing to focus on the product quality, marketing, research and innovation.
Further, Pepsi is the only rivalry of Coca-Cola because it offer similar products to their
customers.
Innovation: The key area of the innovation within Coca-Cola is related to its offering
such that recently it convert into energy drink market. In this, company start offering smoothie
and teas, also its smartwater brand into the flavored and sparking water sector which attract
range of new customers towards it. Its innovation also included the packaging of its bottles and
keep develop new beverage programs as well. Yes, the company uses incremental innovation in
which the firm is stay relevant to the customer over time. Like quoted company added new
flavors such as Cherry Coke to their products in order to satisfy the need of customers. Coca-
Cola also announced to focused upon recyclable products in 2018 (Kraus, 2019). However the
company is not able to meet the same and that is why, it faces issue regarding the same that
causes opposite impact upon overall brand image. The key competencies of a business are its
strong brand value, franchise network, cost controls, distribution network as well as its

administrative control. The company keep focusing upon its strategy because it helps to meet the
demand of customers.
Context
Coca-Cola’s aim related to the human, environment, however it is not able to meet the
aim and that is why, it is recognized as a worst polluter firm by BFFP.
Social: The company offer the products in order to meet the defined aim of the human
and in order to satisfy the need of the customers, it keep changing in the products taste by adding
strong flavored (Ciafone, 2018). The key people of the company are youths and that is why, for
their satisfaction level, company must introduced new products which assist to increase the
overall market share. Moreover, through many survey it has been defined that customers are
satisfied with the product, however it do not complied with the sustainable goals. That is why, it
is ranked as a worst company because of waste thrown in majority countries.
Before making any decision, company also consult with key stakeholders like senior
management, board of directors so that valid outcomes will be generated. Moreover, customers
demand are keep fluctuating and to meet the same, company either change its packaging style or
introduced new products (Smith and Brisman, 2021).

Environment: the biggest environmental concern for the Coca-Cola is to thrown the
products at all over which causes opposite impact upon the overall environment. With the help of
this project, company start focusing upon environment and offer recyclable bottles that do not
causes pollution. In addition to this, it has been examined that through effective measures
company is able to implement the strategies and also gain market share (Schröder and Chillcott,
2019). Through the research it has been evaluated that it did not have effective waste
management systems and that is why, the products are throws here and there. Also, due to not
focusing upon recyclable products, it is examined that company violate the SDG goals. Overall,
it can be stated that through such project, it is essential for the company to focus upon waste
management products which in turn assist to mitigate the environmental concern. Further, due to
recognized as a worst waste records by BFFP, it can be stated that company creates adverse
ecological impact and if the same has been performed, then the brand image and customer base
will be affected negatively.
Viability: If the project will be implemented and Coca-Cola start focusing upon its
recyclable products then the expectation of acquiring market share will be increases. Currently
the company acquires 60% of the carbonated soft drinks segments and 36% of the fruit drink
segments and only 33% in packaged water segment. If the project is successfully implemented
then it will be helpful because the market share will be increased by 5 to 10% (Rhein and
Schmid, 2020). Also, currently the company have 11.19% of the rate of return which is also
expected to increase by 2%. That is why, focusing upon the waste management will be beneficial
for the company in order to increase the financial performance. Hence, company must invest
upon recyclable product and start introducing recyclable bottles instead of focusing less over
existing bottles.
Process
The budget is creating to collect recyclable raw materials from sustainable supplier that
help COCA COLA to overcome the negative impact of land and environmental pollution on its
business practices, success and growth.
Resources Cost £
Contract with suppliers 30,000
Human resource 15000

Recyclable raw materials 20,000
Training and development 10000
Technology implementation 25000
Total 82,000
Schedule-
According to budget, management may conduct each activity from planning to strategic
implementation of new strategy, which outcome may obtain within approx. 6 months that
provide benefits to brand as well as other stakeholders like customers, government, etc.
Deliverables-
Project manager may obtain desire outcomes within six months and delivery recyclable
products to each consumers, which they threw into dustbin after use as an empty can and then
easy to recycle by many factors for purpose of reducing land, water and other form of pollution
that had affected environment in negative manner. Management may take initiative to get better
results by dividing roles and accountabilities according to skills and efficiency of new as well as
existing staff members.
Performance
Function
COCO COLA by taking initiative to use recyclable materials for products packaging may
obtain varied benefits and give new feature to its existing cans that millions of customers prefer
to buy. The main function of its goods is their package, which is quite easy to recycle or reshape
for purpose of reutilize. In additional to this, the cans used by customer may melt and reproduce
to reduce their harmful impact on environment (Kremser and et.al., 2021). In term of feature,
management may reshape each cans that help to prevent land from being polluted. With this
product company may take its venture long run within market place and successfully gain the
attention of international investors who tend to work with those brands that had established their
brand image in market as sustainable organizations. With new features and functions of goods,
firm may sustain for long and retain potential buyers as well in similar manner, which is quite
essential for management to increase sales and profitability.

Expression
Brand attributes are considered as core values that describe overall behavior of a
company and represent essence of venture (Wong, Su and Lam, 2020). Caring is the main
characteristic of COCA COLA according to that management may take good care of their
workers whether they are new or existing. Firm is able to make a difference being part of a
venture that develop value and a difference everywhere it engages.
It may take initiative to utilize simple design language, which is easy to understand by
other others who buy products exchange of money. It may place a symbol or note on each coke
can that customers may read and determine what brand seek from them.
Management may follow certain principles related to product design for example, they
may take action to solve existing issues related to it. Furthermore, it may release quality sets
expectations and look for further investment for product design. It provides unexpected benefits
to firm in varied terms.
Post production
Reflection
By referring to Gibbs reflective cycle, here I want to describe my personal feeling
regarding improvement which I had made and attempt to improve next time, which is quite
important and beneficial for me. During my work I had improved my effective communication
skills by collaborating and coordinating with other people. I want to describe more about my
personal assumptions that I want to improve my data analysis skills in next time by taking
initiative to choose the best and most effective approaches in term of training workshops where
experience holder teaches ways to improve those areas which a candidate requires to enhance for
gaining current and in the future growth opportunities.
Before starting my work, I was quite excited and curious to conduct each activity related
to it, I think it is quite easy to accomplish task and obtain benefits at the end, but it is actually
not. My positive feeling changed when I face challenge to collect data about topic due to high
data privacy.

During this project I had determined my strengths and weaknesses as well, which I will
overcome by using the most beneficial methods and techniques, that provide desire outcomes to
me in the future.
I analyze that due to communication skill my work goes well, but just because of lack of
data analysis competence, I face problems to complete my work on time. Along with this, I
possess lack knowledge regarding ICTs skill that also hamper my work and put negative impact
on success criteria.
From overall analysis, it has been summarized that I can take initiative to develop an
action plan through which I can improve my weaknesses and cover into my strength next time
and use as well while conducting actions and attempts in more new projects.

REFERENCES
Book and Journals
Ciafone, A., 2018. Selling local modernization through the global corporation: coca-cola bottling
in Colombia, 1927-1944. Historia y sociedad, (34), pp.41-75.
Ciafone, A., 2019. Counter-cola: a multinational history of the global corporation. University of
California Press.
Kraus, C., 2019. More than Just a Soft Drink: Coca-Cola and China’s Early Reform and
Opening. Diplomatic History. 43(1). pp.107-129.
Kremser, K. and et.al., 2021. A new bioleaching strategy for the selective recovery of aluminum
from multi-layer beverage cans. Waste Management. 120. pp.16-24.
Rhein, S. and Schmid, M., 2020. Consumers’ awareness of plastic packaging: More than just
environmental concerns. Resources, Conservation and Recycling. 162. p.105063.
Schröder, P. and Chillcott, V., 2019. The politics of marine plastics pollution. The circular
economy and the global south: sustainable lifestyles and green industrial development,
pp.43-46.
Smith, O. and Brisman, A., 2021. Plastic Waste and the Environmental Crisis Industry. Critical
Criminology, pp.1-21.
Wong, V.C., Su, L. and Lam, H.P.Y., 2020. When Less Is More: How Mindset Influences
Consumers’ Responses to Products with Reduced Negative Attributes. Journal of
Marketing. 84(5). pp.137-153.
Yao, L., 2017. Nationalism on Their Own Terms: The National Products Movement and the
Coca-Cola protest in Shanghai, 1945-1949. Modern Asian Studies. 51(5). p.1439.
Zaman, A. and Newman, P., 2021. Plastics: are they part of the zero-waste agenda or the toxic-
waste agenda?. Sustainable Earth. 4(1). pp.1-16.
Online
Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Nestle names as world’s worst plastic polluter in 2020. 2020. [Online].
Available through: <https://www.bigissue.com/latest/environment/worlds-worst-plastic-
polluters/>.