Almost 300 waste entrepreneurs, most of them women, have taken a step closer to achieving their ambitions after completing training on waste management business opportunities with the support of Coca-Cola Beverages Botswana (CCBB).
The 299 people, 244 of them women, completed a three-day course on the professional waste management of plastic PET bottles in Gaborone.
As part of the programme, guest speakers also gave insights into the plastic packaging value chain and at the end of the programme, the trainees were awarded certificates of participation to support them in seeking related business opportunities.
CCBB managing director, David Chait, said the company, a subsidiary of Coca-Cola Beverages Africa, used its industry leadership to be part of the solution, to achieve positive change in the world and to build a more sustainable future for the planet.
“Our aim is to create greater shared opportunity for the business and the communities we serve across the value-chain. Opportunity is more than just money, it’s about a better future for people and their communities everywhere on the African continent.
“We understand that our business can only thrive when the communities we serve thrive too. Investing in communities ensures our business sustainability. Most of all, we are all Africans and are part of our communities,” said Chait.
“We aim to create inclusive growth opportunities for women, youth, and people with disabilities by defining a consistent way of implementing economic inclusion programmes across our markets drawing on leading practice for implementing our programmes. At the same time, we will seek to harness the impact of our economic inclusion initiatives to solve business challenges like creating a circular waste economy for plastic in Botswana.
“We identify skills development opportunities to grow businesses through entrepreneurship, and use collaboration and advocacy, or partnerships where possible, to promote employability.
“Our entrepreneurship programmes focus on initiatives that provide our target groups with the opportunity to take an existing business to a higher level of operation. Our employability programmes focus on programmes that up-skill, re-skill or provide other opportunities that enhance our target group’s prospects of finding sustainable employment.
“The success of these programmes will be defined by the extent to which we boost income, unlock sustainable earning potential, improve skills, and business knowledge, resulting in access to economic opportunities,” said Chait.
“Whether donating money, our time or our expertise, we take our responsibility to the communities we call home seriously.”
*Update* On December 2, 2024, The Coca-Cola Company announced updated voluntary environmental goals. Read more here: The Coca-Cola Company Evolves Voluntary Environmental Goals
