Coca-Cola will collaborate with DEKA R&D, IBM, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Group, McCann Health, NRG Energy (NRG), Qualcomm Technologies and UPS.
The announcement brings to action the company’s 2012 commitment with DEKA R&D to provide safe drinking water to communities through the Slingshot water purification system, ensuring communities are more sustainable.
Coca-Cola will place between 1,500 and 2,000 units in the form of Ekocenters or Slingshot water purification systems to deliver further services beyond clean water, in Africa, Asia, Latin America and North America by the end of 2015.
Each Ekocenter will offer a locally tailored mix of products, services and resources that may include safe drinking water, sustainable energy, wireless communications, refrigerated vaccination storage, health education, and other functionality to jump-start entrepreneurship opportunities and community development.
“Ekocenter represents an investment in the future prosperity and progress of some of the most fragile and at-risk communities we serve,” said Muhtar Kent, chairman and CEO, The Coca-Cola Company. “Through Ekocenter, we have the ability to change lives by offering access to safe drinking water and other needed resources, all while empowering local entrepreneurs. What started as an aspiration is now becoming a reality as we welcome our partners across the golden triangle of business, government and civil society to scale and improve this innovation.”
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