WHY COCA-COLA PUTS PEOPLE FIRST: Exclusive interview with Melkamu Abebe, head of Coca-Cola Beverages Africa’s unit in Uganda Melkamu Abebe General Manager, Coca-Cola Beverages Africa in Uganda talks about his journey from graduate trainee to head the operations of Coca-Cola Beverages Africa in Uganda- all in 12 years. He attributes this feat to Coca-Cola’s “One Company, One Team, One Passion” culture that engenders a people-first passion and supports all employees to be all they can be. He also shares the business’ philosophy on withstanding the negative effects of Covid-19, again by not putting the bottom line before people- employees, their families, the distribution trade, and the communities in which the company operates.

Tell us about your journey with Coca-Cola Beverages Africa

My journey at Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) dates back to 2008 when I joined as a graduate trainee under the Supply Chain Department in Ethiopia. That experience opened me up to work hard for bigger opportunities over the years. 

I worked my way up over the years holding different positions: Fleet Manager, Distribution Manager, Country Logistics Manager, Logistics Director, Supply Chain Director, and most recently was appointed as the General Manager in Uganda. I have grown with CCBA for the last 12 years, mostly in Ethiopia.

Like many others in the company, I have benefitted from the amazing focus that is given to people here at Coca-Cola.

I am happy to be working in Uganda right now. Apart from the beautiful weather and welcoming people, I am working with highly motivated and talented teams every day to meet objectives that are important to them and their families.

You probably are one of the youngest country GMs for Coca-Cola and in Uganda one of the youngest business leaders for such a multibillion operation. What does this say about Coca-Cola’s people management? 

In all my time at Coca-Cola, I have come to appreciate the value the company places on people. As a company we are ‘people-centred’. The company has built up a culture that supports all employees to enjoy an elevated experience while we are at work.

‘We are the brand’- One Company, One Team, One Passion. This describes our company culture where every employee can make a difference with their ideas and creativity, to make the company and our products better every single day.

Coca-Cola makes huge investments over time in increasing Employee skills, engagement, and satisfaction. We run detailed career planning systems that focus on talent development. Many of us at different levels have benefitted from these models and we are always grateful to the company for this dedication to people.

It is no secret that most businesses are going to be adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. How are you particularly being affected?

The Covid-19 outbreak is a challenging time for all of us and has already had a significant impact on the economy as a whole. And, more importantly, it is having a major impact on the people – everyday Ugandans. We are clear that we have a role to play as a Company and we have focused that role on people – our employees, their families, our distribution network, and the wider, general community. From the beginning we committed that we would continue operating so that we could keep playing our economic and social role. We need to keep our people in employment, we need to continue providing support to the trade so that our business partners stay operational and can employ their people, and we need to continue operating so we pay taxes. While doing all this we are also making contributions to the general community and to the efforts against spreading COVID-19.

The entire world is dealing with this unprecedented situation and it would be selfish to approach it with only the bottom line in mind. We must focus on people and on doing the right things at this time.

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on production and the supply chain calls for us to be brave and innovative. In Uganda we are grateful that the Government has paid attention to the importance of ongoing economic activity and we are working within the parametres for the safety of our people. In our 134 years of existence we have operated in different difficult situations around the world and we have always relied on our people to get through to the other side. As always, we trust that we will come out stronger from this experience and we will do so together with the people in our eco-system.

Businesses like Coca-Cola that have had a history of corporate social responsibility find themselves with a responsibility to cater to internal stakeholders, suppliers, shareholders etc., while also responding to society’s needs. How have you been able to balance this delicate situation?

As I’ve said, our approach is grounded in our Company’s purpose: refresh the world and make a difference in the community, with our people always in the centre of what we do.

In light of the current situation, we have focused our attention on making tangible differences for our business partners and in our communities by carrying out different interventions to help alleviate their situations.

We started with our employees and their families – ensuring we focused on their safety in the plant and their homes. We set up systems and controls at all our Plants to screen employees and visitors as they enter the plants to conduct their business. We also instituted social distancing and decreased all possible instances of contamination.

We ensured they were fully sensitised and continue to provide them with regular, authentic information so that they are protected against COVID-19 infection. Then we provided all the appropriate PPEs, including hand sanitisers which we manufactured by ourselves at the Rwenzori Plant in Namanve.

Then we extended that to our distributors and their employees.

Starting last month, we resolved to put our commercial advertising for Coca-Cola and all our brands on hold and directed the budgets towards creating Covid-19 awareness messaging for the general public. We even went a step further to change some product labels to include covid-19 messaging. The advertising budget for this is close to UGX500million but we felt the right thing to do right now is to promote public awareness of life-saving habits and behavior change, instead of promoting our products for commercial benefit.

We know that our efforts in isolation are not enough, so we are working with different partners to support workers on the frontline and also deliver food supplies to vulnerable groups. For example, the Coca-Cola Foundation through Uganda Red Cross Society made a significant donation of a food consignment worth UGX390million. Food distribution began with Mukono District, where we have two plants, and has continued. The Red Cross is working with the Mukono District #Covid-19 Taskforce to feed vulnerable families affected by the lockdown.

We have also supported the Government of Uganda in the fight to curb the spread of COVID-19 through various interventions. We contributed UGX85million to the Ministry of Health to buy medical equipment and sundries.

Another very important initiative is our handwashing intervention. We are working with the Ministry of Health to set up handwashing facilities for increased public hygiene. We know there is an acute shortage of handwashing equipment and access to clean water especially in public places. In Namanve, Kyambogo, and Mbarara Central Market we have erected four (4) 5,000litre Community Handwashing Tanks. Members of the general public can stop by those tanks and wash their hands-free of charge at any time of night or day.

In other places we are establishing 20-litre handwashing stations using easy-to-identify and use jerrycans. Many outlets don’t have these facilities, so this contribution will help them ensure their patrons and staff follow the simple precaution of washing their hands to prevent COVID-19.

In all, this is our commitment – supporting Our People first – our employees, their families, our distribution trade, and the communities in which we operate. We cannot be safe if everybody is not safe.

Many people would want to know what the secret is behind Coca-Cola’s investment in people; one could easily say, we pay our taxes, so let the government do the rest. Is there any good in doing good for communities? What’s the philosophy behind it all? 

Being people-centred is not a business decision – it is a business imperative. In Africa we have a concept called ‘Ubuntu’ which means I am because you are. Any business that wants to be sustainable for the long-term must make this part of their ethos. If we do not operate for the good of the people then we will not survive.

The company is a construct that relies on the work of the people. We rely on the customs of our customers. We appeal to the tastes and needs of our consumers. In everything we do the key question is not how much money will we make or how much will we benefit, but what does it mean to the people.

If we are evaluating how much we are making as a company we have to ensure that our partners are also making their fair share. While we are formulating the beverages we produce we have to ensure that they are the very best quality and taste for the people. We will not compromise quality just to squeeze in higher margins – never.

We will go for the best because that is what we expect our people to expect from us.

If we all, in our day-to-day lives, use this as our operational ethos, then we will make a big, positive impact in our societies.

Try it out and see.

Personally, I have felt this way ever since I entered the company. If I had not been treated so well as a young man joining a new company, where would I be right now? I appreciate what my mentors and forebearers did for me and I spend every hour of my working day trying to do the same for the people I am responsible for.

And if I leave behind one piece of myself I want it to be just that – focus on the People first!