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If the king is able to ignore his people, his parliament and his rich neighbours, what is the peaceful route to change for Swaziland? When global giants speak, even kings listen – and in the realm of the multinational, few stand as tall as Coca-Cola.
Sold in more than 200 countries, Coca-Cola has an annual turnover of £21bn, more than nine times Swaziland's yearly output (£2.33bn). When accused of propping up the Swazi regime, Coca-Cola simply said it does not get involved with the internal politics of the countries it works in.
I'm afraid this is just a convenient fudge. In 1987 Coca-Cola moved to Swaziland from apartheid South Africa once public opinion made its presence there unacceptable. While many global firms, like Coke, have genuinely good intentions towards the people they employ and the countries they work from, they also exist to suck up resources and turn them into cash. Where these motives collide there can be only one winner.
Coca-Cola's bosses don't have to woo electorates, but protecting the company's brand as "the world's favourite drink" is incredibly important. Between 2002 and 2010 Coca-Cola donated £170m through its foundation to "develop and maintain vibrant, sustainable and local communities". In 2001 the company launched its African Foundation, based in Swaziland, which is the centre of the company's development work in the continent. But if such corporate social responsibility projects are to be more than just cynical PR exercises, corporations can no longer turn a blind eye to abuses in the countries they work in. Full story...
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If the king is able to ignore his people, his parliament and his rich neighbours, what is the peaceful route to change for Swaziland? When global giants speak, even kings listen – and in the realm of the multinational, few stand as tall as Coca-Cola.
Sold in more than 200 countries, Coca-Cola has an annual turnover of £21bn, more than nine times Swaziland's yearly output (£2.33bn). When accused of propping up the Swazi regime, Coca-Cola simply said it does not get involved with the internal politics of the countries it works in.
I'm afraid this is just a convenient fudge. In 1987 Coca-Cola moved to Swaziland from apartheid South Africa once public opinion made its presence there unacceptable. While many global firms, like Coke, have genuinely good intentions towards the people they employ and the countries they work from, they also exist to suck up resources and turn them into cash. Where these motives collide there can be only one winner.
Coca-Cola's bosses don't have to woo electorates, but protecting the company's brand as "the world's favourite drink" is incredibly important. Between 2002 and 2010 Coca-Cola donated £170m through its foundation to "develop and maintain vibrant, sustainable and local communities". In 2001 the company launched its African Foundation, based in Swaziland, which is the centre of the company's development work in the continent. But if such corporate social responsibility projects are to be more than just cynical PR exercises, corporations can no longer turn a blind eye to abuses in the countries they work in. Full story...
Related posts:
- King of Swaziland to marry his 15th wife...
- Swaziland, where the poor starve and the king is, well, king...
- King of Swaziland evicts residents to grab their land, but evicted fight back...
- The Coca-colonisation of Swaziland...
- Swazis speak out against Africa's last absolute monarchy...
- King of Swaziland evicts residents to grab their land, but evicted fight back...
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