Poverty Footprint Study on how the Coca Cola - Oxfam America

Mill work is also physically strenuous and demands
long hours, and is therefore traditionally considered
more appropriate for men. Despite the low rates
of female employment, no overtly discriminatory
practices were identified during routine audits.
The Coca-Cola Company’s supplier standards
require that the mills uphold internationally
recognized nondiscrimination standards.
Women in SABMiller’s bottlers
Women are underrepresented in formal jobs at
bottling plants in both countries. Despite strong
policies requiring nondiscrimination, most bottling
plant jobs are perceived as more appropriate for
men given that they require physical strength.
Other factors contributing to the low rates of female
employment may include security challenges.
The research revealed that formal jobs in the value
chain are male dominated and that there is gendersegmentation
by occupation, type of activity and level
of seniority in the value chain. Despite formal policies
to prevent discrimination against women in the
workplace, women remain underrepresented.
Several factors have led to this imbalance, one of
which is the lack of security for workers who travel
long distances to work.
Recommendations for follow-up action
Women in distribution and retail
Women most often work in distribution as employees
or alongside their husbands, and are less frequently
the owners of the businesses. In Zambia, for
example, husband-and-wife teams own and
operate two of the country’s largest independent
distributorships. Women in the distribution business
interviewed for this study indicated they were
concerned that they had fewer opportunities for
advancement and business growth than men. They
noted that the distribution business was particularly
susceptible to crime and requires physical strength,
presenting challenges for women.
By contrast, women play a very significant role as
owners and operators of small-scale retail outlets.
In the cases where these outlets are attached to
their homes, women are able to work while at the
same time being in contact with their families. Of the
approximately 64,000 retail outlets in El Salvador,
an estimated 76 percent62 are owned or managed by
women, and in Zambia, a third of the approximately
25,000 outlets are estimated to be women-owned.
Both bottling plants offer training workshops for
small retailers. Women retailers interviewed for this
study reported that lack of access to credit limited
their ability to grow their businesses. However, in El
Salvador, women retailers reported having the same
access to credit as their male counterparts.
Establish focused business training and support for women in the Coca-Cola/SABMiller value
chain to work toward more equal employment opportunities.
Make further efforts to recruit women for nontraditional and senior management jobs.
Consider ways to increase women business partners’ access to credit, taking into account the
unique circumstances women face when running businesses in these communities.
Research how operations and practices in the value chain empower or undermine small women
farmers.
Exploring the links between international business and poverty reduction 63