Coca-Cola Community Day: Working together to preserve the biodiversity of the floodplains

In cooperation with National Park Donau Auen , Coca-Cola HBC Austria's Coke Community Days entered the second round: More than 50 committed employees supported the National Park Rangers in removing 700 tree protection devices in the reforested floodplain. The investment in ecological enhancement of the company's premises also contributes to the preservation of healthy local ecosystems at the production site in Edelstal.

The maintenance of cycles is one of the central concerns of the domestic beverage producer Coca-Cola HBC Austria - in the recycling of packaging as well as in the vital resource of water and the protection of local habitats. In the course of the Coke Community Days, various social or ecological projects are therefore regularly tackled together with employees and partners.

After the National Park Donau Auen had already been supported with great commitment in the course of Clean-up Days in the years before the Corona pandemic, the current Coke Community Day focused on the topic of biodiversity.

Commitment to ecosystem protection
More than 50 employees worked side by side under the guidance of National Park rangers in the Carnuntum-Petronell area, removing wildlife browsing protection from young trees that was now no longer necessary after successful reforestation. A total of 700 tree guards were removed, cleaning up two forest and meadow areas in the National Park. In doing so, the team made an important contribution to maintaining a healthy ecosystem as well as soil and water quality. "Our actions as a locally active company are based on sustainable initiatives to protect resources and benefit the community. I am proud that our colleagues always make a valuable contribution here and participate in our activities with unparalleled commitment," says Herbert Bauer, General Manager at Coca-Cola HBC Austria, who also actively supported the initiative with his team on site.

Natural Outdoor facilities at the production site in Edelstal
Coca-Cola HBC Austria's sustainability agenda is not only limited to the Coke Community Days: measures for ecological enhancement are also being implemented under expert guidance in and around the premises of the local production and logistics center in Edelstal, which is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year. In the entrance area of the bottling plant, 2,000 m² of near-natural flower meadows have been laid out, which are to blossom in the company colors from the summer onwards. Around 90 trees and shrubs were planted to complement the valuable old trees. Attractive, greened and shaded seating areas in the entrance area and in the outdoor area of the company cafeteria additionally support the improvement of the microclimate on site.

"Several years ago, we created a habitat for insects and wildlife by planting a tree and shrub hedge of native species that is attractive in terms of landscape and valuable in terms of natural habitat. The redesigned areas around our entrance area are now to become a place to stay where our team and our guests feel just as comfortable as the native flora and fauna," says Theresa Fleischberger, Environment Manager at Coca-Cola HBC Austria, explaining the measures that are intended to sustainably enhance the production site over the next ten years.