As part of its corporate social responsibility thrust, Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) dedicated the month of March to women empowerment. The company joined the rest of the world to celebrate the international Women’s Day, Women’s History Month and the Mother’s Day. The company focused on issues around the health of Women as well as economic empowerment.
NBC Supports Women’s Health
The month of March was a special month for women all over the world. In March, there was a global focus on women to mark the International Women’s Day, Women’s History Month and Mother’s Day.
The Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC), a company that is focused on empowering women across its value chain identified with women on these occasions on two important aspects of Women’s health. The company supported two non-governmental organizations, Run for Cure Africa and the Endometriosis Support Group Nigeria, in awareness walks against breast cancer and endometriosis.
Supporting the cause of women’s health is important to NBC. While Breast cancer is one of the diseases that negatively impacts women, their families, businesses and the nation, Endometriosis is a condition which affects about 10-15% of women in their reproductive ages and is one of the causes of infertility. NBC recognises that these diseases are a potential threat to the health of Nigerian women, especially those engaged across the company’s value chain.
Women empowerment remains a critical factor in economic development and NBC has continuously partnered with communities, to support women in various capacities over the years.
NBC Empowering Women Economically
In further recognition of the importance women play as engines of economic prosperity, the Coca-Cola system made a global commitment to empower 5,000,000 women across its value chain by 2020 (5by20). In Nigeria, the 5by20 women empowerment initiative launched in 2010 has continued to grow and gain momentum. The Coca-Cola System in Nigeria, has helped female entrepreneurs associated with its business gain access to essential economic enablers: business skills training, loans, financial services, assets, peer networks and mentoring. As a result, the system has witnessed a ripple effect on their businesses as many have grown exponentially from retailers to owning and operating Micro Distribution Centres. So far, 23,000 existing Coca-Cola customers have been trained in Retail Management and 150 women have been provided with iconic Coca-Cola Kiosks and products in partnership with Lagos and Ogun State Governments.
In addition, 20,000 retail trade women have been provided with the necessary trade support, such as products, cooler, iconic beach umbrellas and cooler stands in Lagos, Rivers, Irete and Uyo.
NBC has also strategically integrated women as an integral part of its business and leverages their economic power as a force for growth. NBC’s route to Market is anchored on women entrepreneurs who represent about 70% of its trade network across the country.
NBC Driving Gender Diversity in the Workplace
Many national and international instruments recognize and guarantee the right of women to work without any form of discrimination. However, in reality, gender inequality in the workplace persists. NBC is one of the few organisations that has driven the economic empowerment of women in the workplace.
NBC has demonstrated a strong belief in women and actively develops its female managers to take up leadership positions in the company. Indeed, in NBC, women occupy senior leadership roles of directors, plant managers, e.t.c.
NBC’s Commitments to Sustainability
NBC’s youth development programmes in the last five years have directly impacted over 10,000 young Nigerians and another 100,000 indirectly. In 2009, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy, NBC in partnership with Coca-Cola Nigeria and the Lady Mechanic Initiative committed to empowering 100 (One Hundred) young women in Edo State over a 5-year period. This involved sponsoring them in a skill acquisition programme where they were trained as auto-mechanics. Over 95% of the trainees who have completed their training are gainfully employed in reputable auto companies across Nigeria.
Again, NBC has continuously collaborated with the Working to Advance African Women (WAAW) Foundation’s Camp to support girls in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) camp for secondary school girls between the ages of 13 and 17. This is in addition to Body, Soul and Spirit (BSS), an annual event supported by the Coca-Cola system in Nigeria, which aims at providing physical and emotional reinvigoration for women.
NBC has been in Nigeria for over 6 decades and has contributed immensely to the social and economic development of Women in the country.
