Recently, 21 delegates from Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) represented the business at the annual One Young World Summit in Belfast, Ireland. Two thousand delegates from 190 countries and over 250 different organisations attended the four-day Summit, working to accelerate social impact.
The annual summit, held in a different country each year, convenes the brightest young leaders from across the globe to explore how they can collectively create a fair and sustainable future. Delegates leave the Summit with the means and motivation to make a positive difference in their workplaces and communities.
Luke Weaver, licensed business development manager at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners New Zealand (CCEP NZ), represented the New Zealand business at the summit, participating in four transformative days of speeches, workshops, and networking with influential global leaders.
Weaver described his time at the Summit as a valuable opportunity to connect and collaborate with other young leaders who share an interest in sustainability and social impact; two areas that he is deeply passionate about.
“I am excited to bring my learnings from the One Young World Summit back to CCEP NZ with the intention of driving positive social impact for our communities and ensuring we are playing our part in protecting the environment,” says Weaver.
For Weaver, a highlight of the summit was collaborating with other delegates and sharing notes on local initiatives, alongside the opportunity to listen to some of the world’s most influential political, business and humanitarian leaders.
“It was inspiring to learn how other businesses and countries are tackling important global challenges. Listening to influential keynote speakers Adwoa Aboah and Lucy Hale was also a highlight of the Summit for me, their insight and experiences were hugely motivating,” says Weaver.
CCEP has partnered with One Young World since 2016, with 101 delegates representing the organisation over the past eight years at the summit.
Director, people and culture, Kate James from CCEP NZ said that supporting young people to create positive change within the business and wider community is at the core of what CCEP NZ does.
“At CCEP, we believe in the power of our young leaders, and it is important for us to provide opportunities to foster their potential. As a business, CCEP NZ is passionate about supporting our colleagues to reach their potential,” says James.
The One Young World summit is not the only way that CCEP NZ supports its employees. Since 2018, the company has been running LeanIn, an internal female development program designed to empower and unleash the potential of women across the business. Earlier this year, Emerge with Supply Chain was launched, another internally developed programme that equips participants with the core skills they need to advance their careers. Further demonstrating its dedication to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace, in August CCEP NZ held its first Women in Supply Chain Development Event, supporting the development of female representatives from all six Supply Chain sites nationwide. The company also has a comprehensive learning & development offering further empowers its people to upskill and grow their careers.
