ATLANTA – Global businesses and nonprofits must work together to tackle the world’s most pressing challenges and help the weak and vulnerable.
That's the message James Quincey, president and CEO of The
On a stage that this week hosted Bill Gates, Ambassador Andrew Young, golf legend Jack Nicklaus, actor Ashton Kutcher, Georgia Governor Nathan Deal and Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, Quincey argued that business and nonprofits such as Rotary have a unique power to strengthen communities and improve humanitarian efforts in an era of rapid transformation, disruption and uncertainty.
“Today, the headlines are filled with a continuous barrage of challenges that impact everyone in this room and the broader sectors of society,” Quincey said. “Challenges dealing with our environment. With human rights and suffering. With conflict and war. With education, rule of law, health care – the list goes on.
'We have so much common ground. Rotarians have always cared deeply about the things that shape their cities and their nations.'
“One thing is clear: no one company, or nation, or organization can solve these issues alone. More than ever, it’s going to require our collective cooperation, action and accountability,” Quincey said Tuesday in front of more than 23,000 Rotarians.
To affect real change, businesses such as
Quincey said Rotary’s commitment to providing clean water, serving mothers and children, supporting education and fighting disease such as polio provides a roadmap for progress.
“We have so much common ground,” he said. “Rotarians have always cared deeply about the things that shape their cities and their nations.”
From an endowment proposed in 1917 in Atlanta, the Rotary Foundation has grown from the first contribution of $26.50 to distribute more than $3 billion to humanitarian programs around the world. Meanwhile,
Ensuring that the company has the “social license to operate in every community we serve” is critical, Quincey said.
“When we do this, and do it right, we not only better serve our stakeholders and communities but we create a stronger, more efficient and productive business as well,” Quincey said. “We operate in virtually every community across more than 200 countries. Without healthy and sustainable communities, we don’t have a healthy and sustainable business.”
As the company has grown, it has also kept its focus on its hometown of Atlanta, Quincey said.
“Atlanta matters to our company,” he said. “Our secret formula was invented here, more than 131 years ago. Atlanta is where we first established our roots before growing into a truly global business. Atlanta is our home. It’s a source of much of our creativity.”
The
Quincey referenced a recent Atlanta initiative that leveraged the power of partnership. Last year, The
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Monika Lozinska
Water, Women and Community Wellbeing
Quincey said
In 2007,
Meanwhile, the 5X20 initiative strives to economically empower 5 million women entrepreneurs by 2020. Working with a number of partners around the world,
'More and more companies are finding that we have something more valuable than cash to offer for the good of the public. And that’s our expertise. Our know-how. Our unique and specific strengths.'
Coca-Cola’s commitment to community well-being includes support for areas such as education, HIV/AIDS prevention, access to clean water, and distribution of medical supplies and other essentials. Through Project Last Mile, for example,
“More and more companies are finding that we have something more valuable than cash to offer for the good of the public,” Quincey said. “And that’s our expertise. Our know-how. Our unique and specific strengths.”
Business and civic partnerships that are rooted in a clear vision, a bias for action, and a relentless drive for accountability are the new model for success, Quincey said.
“Of course, speaking to Rotarians about this is, I know, speaking to the proverbial choir. In so many ways, you are already leaders in bringing people together and partnering with others to build stronger communities,” Quincey said. “I urge you to continue to get uncomfortable as you look for the real problems you can confront in your communities. Use your credibility to push others to step up and do more. And never accept that things have to be the way they are.”
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