Coca-Colla Sustainable Labour

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Coca-Colla – Sustainable Labour

Name

Institution

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Coca Colla

Introduction

Coca Colla is one of the companies that recently launched a soft drink in Bolivia in a bid

to rival the original Coca-Cola Company from the United States. The drink is manufactured

using coca leaf and its name comes from the Colla people of Bolivia. The soft drink has gone on

sale in various parts of the country recording a commendable reception from the consumers and

the soft drink market as a whole.

The Coca Colla drink is black in colour, sugary and it is distributed in a red labelled

bottle. The fact that the soft drink is black in colour and uses a red labelled bottle elicited mixed

reactions with the Coca-Cola Company failing to comment on the issue despite consumers and

other stakeholders feeling like the Bolivian company used their trademark. Apart from the facts

surrounding the ingredients used in the manufacture of the soft drink, the company also acts as a

symbol of opposition to the prevailing western imperialism in many parts of the world.

Sustainability is an important component of businesses today and companies should be

committed to ensuring that all their actions are sustainable in terms of taking financial,

environmental and social responsibility (Semeijn et al., 2015). Sustainability can also be referred

t in terms of three main aspects which include the profit, people and planet. Every business

should ensure that its activities aimed at conserving the environment, promoting social

relationships as well contributing to improved profit generation. Business sustainability requires

all companies to operate according to the principles of sustainable development. Sustainable

development, in this case, can be defined as a type of development that can meet the current

needs without affecting the ability of the future generation to be able to meet their needs.

Therefore, a responsible organization that aims at supporting sustainable development must be

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able to address important issues such as economic efficiency, environmental accountability and

social equity. The paper herein looks at sustainability in business with a focus on labour. The

paper looks at sustainability in terms labour development using the Coca-Colla company as a

case study.

Sustainable Labor Practices

Having a sustainable labour market is important to all the stakeholders including the

government, the employees, employers and the self-employed individuals. A sustainable labour

market utilizes all the available resources and talents to create value addition in the economy in

all sectors (Dobbins and Dundon, 2017). Sustainable labour market should be able to balance the

market and the supply of labour. Therefore, the number of people seeking jobs should balance

the number of jobs available so that demand and supply curve is balanced. In some companies,

the jobs are highly demanding but the rate of productivity is low leading to an imbalanced

labour. For instance, in the Netherlands, the employment field is highly demanding and Dutch

people relatively work little with a high rate of productivity (Dobbins and Dundon, 2017).

The number of qualified personnel and technology that makes work easier continues to

increase in various parts of the world hence promoting the high productivity in such countries.

Also, there is a significant challenge in the labour market where most of the less skilled and

qualified people are left outside the active labour market due to the prevailing culture where

formal jobs are perceived to be highly demanding. The exclusion of the less educated from active

labour market can be associated with the discrimination and inequality which is a key concern in

as far as sustainability in the labour market is concerned (Dobbins and Dundon, 2017). As the

population continues to increase and the labour market still only recognizes people with formal

qualifications, the gap between the active participants in the labour market and those outside the

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market continues to widen up. Apart from the people who are kept outside the active

employment market, there is also a group of people who are part of the active labour market but

are either underused or working on jobs that are not related to their talents and passion (Miller,

2013). For example, women continue to be victims of bias in the labour sector and this has

affected the steps towards achieving a sustainable labour market.

The labour industry is experiencing various issues that affect the ability and commitment

to achieving sustainable development in the sector. Some of the main challenges in the sector as

already mentioned in the above text include inequality, discrimination, underused employees and

poor working conditions. Other challenges facing the labour industry include harsh labour

treatment and use of force against labour (Pires, 2008). Therefore, for the sake of this

assignment, it is going to focus on the former challenges which include harsh labour treatment

and use of force against labour.

Harsh Labor Treatment

Sustainable work is a concept that involves developing a workforce that is committed to

the values of the company and a healthy workforce. Sustainable development should focus on

the conditions of the work as well as the quality of an individual’s work (Raco, 2007). Harsh

working conditions is a major concern in the current labour market as it focuses on the quality of

the work done by the individuals as well as the compensation for the work done. Harsh labour

treatment also looks at the health and safety of the workers while carrying out their duties (Quinn

and Shepard, 1974). Employers are tasked with the responsibility of providing a healthy work

environment for their employees to promote job satisfaction and high productivity.

Harsh labour treatment is associated with various problems that range from high

employee turnover, absenteeism, reduced morale and also affects the productivity and profits

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generated by the company. Harsh treatment can range from various issues ranging from bullying,

harassment and discrimination. Discrimination can range from inequality in allocation of duties,

compensation and overwork which are all considered as a violation of employee rights (Quinn

and Shepard, 1974). The effect of such actions may have gross effects on the quality of the

workforce as well as the rate of productivity of the workforce. For instance, bullying in the

workplace can affect the morale of the employees, increase staff turnover, affect the relationship

between the employer and the employees and it can collectively impact the productivity and

profits generated by the company. For instance, Coca Colla may experience low profits and a

demoralized workforce due to harsh treatment of employees.

Another major effect of harsh treatment of employees is the legal battle that may see the

company losing millions of dollars in compensating the employee for the damages caused as a

result of discrimination. An employee may take action against the company resulting in a severe

financial impact on the organization being accused (Paoli and Merllié, 2001). Harsh treatment of

employees can also damage the reputation of the organization as well as the leadership of the

company. A damaged reputation can have a significant effect on the status of the company in

terms of market share and customer loyalty. The company can lose a significant number of

customers as a result of the damaged reputation hence affecting its financial presence (Paoli and

Merllié, 2001). Therefore, it is the responsibility of the employer or the leadership of the

company to develop a system where all employees are respected and treated professionally in the

workplace.

Hash treatment can also be associated with the health and safety of the workers in the

workplace. Workers may be subjected to different degrees of harsh treatment depending on the

working conditions under which they operate. Poor working conditions can range from exposure

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to hazards to overworking employees. Poor working conditions can affect the well-being of the

employees both physically and emotionally depending on the kind of exposure the workers are

subjected (Karhu et al., 1977). For example, working in places with high amounts of noises may

expose the workers to the effects of loud sounds which are associated with headaches, damage to

ears among other issues. Exposing workers to toxins such as mercury may also have both short-

term and long-term effects on the employees hence affecting their health and physical well-

being. For instance, working for excessive forced overtime every day without having any day

and standing for any hours may lead to the legs swelling and the workers find it hard to walk

after a 24-hour shift.

The Workplace Health, Safety and Welfare Regulations state the minimum standards that

employers should adhere when setting up a workplace (Karhu et al., 1977). The regulations are

designed to protect the rights of the employees and to ensure that the employers adhere to the set

standards when designing the workplace. According to the provisions of the rules, employees

have a right to a safe and healthy workplace which should be suitable for all those who work and

visit the company. The latter means that the employer must look into the primary issues such as

the environment, space, cleanliness, provision of protective gears among other issues that protect

the employees from exposure to harsh conditions (Karhu et al., 1977).

Use of Force against Employees

Forced labour refers to a situation where an individual is forced to work against his or her

will. It involves forcing someone to work or to complete a task through intimidation or violence

or through subtle means such as retention of identity papers and other forms of threats (Paoli and

Merllié, 2001). Forced labour is regarded as a contemporary form of slavery and it can attract

much attention from the human rights organizations and the international organizations. There

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have been various cases of forced labour reported from various companies across the world

where workers are forced to take part in roles that are not part of their agreement with the

company (Paoli and Merllié, 2001). Forced labour can be in various forms including forcing

employees to participate in roles which are not part of their duties with the threat of sacking or

withholding their salaries. Such kinds of actions are considered a gross violation of the employee

rights and the employee has the right to sue the employer and seek compensation.

Solutions to Creating a Sustainable Workforce at Coca Colla

It is the role of the organizations to build sustainable workforces in their place of work.

The sustainable workforce should focus on the ability to align the employees with their role in

the organizations and to provide a safe and healthy working condition for the workers. It is the

role of the organization through the human resource department to ensure that the welfare of the

employees is taken care of so that the workforce can be sustainable in terms of availability,

efficiency and productivity. Therefore, Coca Colla Company should develop a sustainable

workforce using the following recommendations.

1. Train People on Cultural Diversity

The Coca Colla Company should consider training its employees in diversity and

importance of culture in the workplace so that it can create a workforce that is sustainable.

Training on cultural diversity helps employees to appreciate the differences between the

members of the organization to foster respect and teamwork.

2. Invest in Employee Welfare

One of the key factors that promote sustainable workforce is through retention and

reducing the employee turnover. Investing in employee welfare will have an important impact on

the organization by improving the morale of the works, increasing retention as well as promoting

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job satisfaction among the employees. Coca Colla can start a scheme to invest in its employees

through funded welfare programs such as retreats, team building activities among others to

ensure that it boosts their morale.

3. Improve the Working Conditions

The company should focus on creating a workplace that suits the employees in terms of

comfort, reliability and the ability to use their skills optimally for the benefit of the organization.

Coca Colla should focus on the working hours, the types of work done and the compensation for

every work done. For instance, the company should stick to the standard working hours to ensure

that employees do not get fatigued which may affect their productivity the following day. The

company should also ensure that it provides its employees with the necessary protective gears

while they are performing their duties. Exposure to hazards such as chemical toxins, loud noise,

and bad posture should be eliminated in the workplace or reduced to levels that can be managed.

Having favourable working conditions will help in improving employee job satisfaction,

increasing their morale and hence help in creating a sustainable workforce for the company.

References

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Semeijn, J.H., Van Dam, K., Van Vuuren, T. and Van der Heijden, B.I., 2015. 10 Sustainable

labour participation and sustainable careers. Handbook of research on sustainable

careers, p.146.

Dobbins, T. and Dundon, T., 2017. The chimaera of sustainable labour–management partnership.

British Journal of Management, 28(3), pp.519-533.

Miller, D., 2013. Towards sustainable labour costing in UK fashion retail.

Pires, R., 2008. Promoting sustainable compliance: Styles of labour inspection and compliance

outcomes in Brazil. International Labour Review, 147(2‐3), pp.199-229.

Pocock, B., 2006. The labour market ate my babies: Work, children and a sustainable future.

Federation Press.

Raco, M., 2007. Building sustainable communities: Spatial policy and labour mobility in post-

war Britain. policy Press.

Quinn, R.P. and Shepard, L.J., 1974. The 1972-73 Quality of Employment Survey. Descriptive

Statistics, with Comparison Data from the 1969-70 Survey of Working Conditions.

Paoli, P. and Merllié, D., 2001. Third European survey on working conditions 2000. European

Foundation for the improvement of living and working conditions.

Karhu, O., Kansi, P. and Kuorinka, I., 1977. Correcting working postures in industry: a practical

method for analysis. Applied Ergonomics, 8(4), pp.199-201.

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