Coca-Cola's CSO on why it entered the global obesity fight

Coke's Bea Perez opens up to Jo Confino about the very personal journey which led her to push Coke into the obesity fight
Coca cola
Protecting the world's most popular and iconic brand is foremost in the minds of the senior management team, so to open what many fear to be Pandora's box, is a huge risk. Photograph: Yves Logghe/AP

Change tends to happen in unexpected ways and none more so than the spark for Coca-Cola CEO Muhtar Kent's recent announcement that "we want to be part of the solution" when it comes to the global fight against obesity.



Perez picks up the story: "He said I will bring someone home. Hear her out and understand the issues, and if you care about it, you will change.



"She said we don't talk about you as a big evil brand but see you as having the opportunity to help create change."


"The reason our CEO said we will take action is because obesity has become a global problem," she tells the Guardian at the Sustainable Brands conference in San Diego. "It is a tragedy to see what is happening to children who are facing chronic illness and heart disease, which none of us had to deal with."

That initial meeting in her home led Perez to begin an uncomfortable personal journey of discovery and also to start a very difficult conversation within the company about being more open about Coca-Cola's responsibilities in the area of obesity.

Protecting the world's most iconic brand is foremost in the minds of the senior management team, so for them to open, what many fear to be Pandora's box, represents a huge risk.

Critics outside of the company, however, view Coke's change of direction either as an attempt to stave off greater regulation or representing only the first baby step in addressing the epidemic.

Anna Lappé, the food activist and best-selling author, argues that its commitments represent nothing more than a "feel-good PR blitz which is just another example of the company trying to protect brand goodwill amidst growing public concern about its most profitable products: sodas.


Perez paints a very different picture, and talks about the tough internal conversations that took place before Kent's announcement of four commitments, which apply to the more than 200 countries where it does business, including offering low- or no- calorie beverage options in every market, providing transparent nutritional information, helping get people moving by supporting physical activity programmes, and marketing responsibly.

"What you might have sensed is a lot of thought and debate took place within the company," she says. "Which problem do you try to solve first, how bold can we be, is it credible coming from our company?


"I shared the information I had learnt with Kent and he said we have to make a commitment – people will forgive us if we make mistakes and will not if we don't do anything."






"We need to talk to people and understand whether their concerns are real or a result of a lack of information," she says.


One of commitments Coca-Cola has made is to encourage people to do more exercise, but recognises that it is not like Nike, which has a natural connection to sporting activities.

The company is therefore teaming up with doctors and youth groups, whom it believes are likely to have much more of an impact on changing behaviour.

"We are working through other organisations to create change rather than doing it ourselves," she says. "After all, would you do exercise if Coca Cola said you should do it? But if we do it through our networks, that can work. If we can get young people moving, they will be the ones growing up that will solve this problem."

Perez says there is an expectation inside Coca-Cola that its financial power, combined with its global reach into nearly every country in the world, means it can scale up change in a way that few other companies can.

That faith in the company even extends to her 11-year-old son. She says: "When I was offered the job of CSO my son picked up one of our new bottles and pointed out it was only 30% made from plant-based materials and added, 'why is it not 100%, you are Coca-Cola.' "
