News

· Nearly half (48%) of employees say they are looking forward to returning to their place of work

· 30% of workers are concerned about the risk of infection when returning to the office

· 33% of professionals expect there will be more flexibility to work remotely following the pandemic

Recruiting experts, Hays, has conducted a poll of over 1,400 people globally to find out their concerns around returning to their place of work following the end of lockdown restrictions and the changes they expect to happen in the world of work as a direct result of the pandemic.

The Czech Republic is currently in a period when companies and businesses are returning to operation. A number of new hygienic standards apply, so we cannot call this operation normal, however, companies operate and employees are generally allowed to return to offices on a voluntary basis.

When asked if they were looking forward to going back into the office, 48% of respondents stated they were, while only 25% said they weren’t looking forward to it and 27% said they were indifferent.

Sandor Bodnar, Managing Director of Hays Czech and Romania, commented; “With nearly half of those surveyed saying they are looking forward to returning to the office, businesses must make sure their workplace is prepared, with social distancing precautions in place, to ensure they are continuing to prioritise the health and wellbeing of their employees. They must also make sure they are following any local government regulations or guidance. I think it’s also important to acknowledge that just because someone is looking forward to returning to the office, it doesn’t necessarily mean they are willing to face any perceived risks in returning, such as crowded public transportation services.”

People will be looking forward to returning for different reasons. Everybody’s lockdown experience has been unique to them. Some have been success in the transition to remote working whilst other others will have been trying to juggle other commitments, been ill themselves or some may have struggled to find a suitable work location or not had the correct equipment to allow them to work.”

When asked if they had any reservations about returning to the office, 30% said they didn’t want to risk potential infection. Meanwhile, 18% of respondents stated they didn’t have any concerns about returning, 17% said they weren’t looking forward to their commute and 16% thought they had been more productive at home. Only 13% said they didn’t want to disrupt their new work life balance and 5% said they have other commitments which mean they must remain at home.

When asked about how they thought their world of work will change as a result of the pandemic, 33% said they expect there to be more flexibility to work remotely. While 19% said they expect there to be fewer face-to-face meetings, 17% expect budgets to be cut and 11% expect the workforce to be smaller and a further 11% expect their priorities to change. Only 5% thought there wouldn’t be any changes and 3% expect their workload to be lighter.

Sándor Bodnár from Hays said, “We can expect some big changes in this new era of work versus the world we left behind just a few short months ago, some that aren’t even obvious yet. In a lot of ways, the pandemic has advanced how we work by a number of years and some of these changes we can certainly expect to remain. Again, it’s up to business leaders to be clear with their employees on the changes they can expect and how they will affect them. There are many considerations for businesses if they plan on permanently implementing some of these changes, such as inclusion when they are managing a hybrid workforce with a mix of office based and remote workers.”

Respondents were asked a qualifying question of whether they had been working remotely and responses were collected between 17 April and 11 May onwww.social.hays.com.

Coca-Cola last year generated more than 5.6bn Czech crowns for the Czech economy while supporting more than 5,000 jobs. These conclusions stem from a new unique study on economic and social impacts, conducted by independent, reputable consulting firm Steward Redqueen. The Coca-Cola System, meanwhile, has announced a further increase in its record investments in the Czech Republic – it plans to invest over CZK 3bn by 2021 in latest technologies.

“The Czech Republic is now celebrating 30 years since the Velvet Revolution and the modern history of Coca-Cola in the Czech Republic is almost as long as that period. At the same time, we are convinced that thanks to large investments and localization we are much more Czech than people suspect. We have therefore decided to highlight our impact on the Czech economy and society with independent figures,” said Natalia Stroe, Director of Coca-Cola Czech Republic.

“In the past three years we have invested a record amount in the Czech Republic, primarily in the modernization of the production plant in Prague Kyje, which we want to turn into a plant of the future. This year, we have decided to further increase investment in the Czech Republic. We bought the Toma plant in Teplice nad Metují and we are also planning new investments here. We are preparing a fully automated warehouse integrated into the production plant, which will eliminate the current traffic load between production and the external warehouse. We are also starting to supply tens of thousands of low-energy refrigerators to our customers and we are planning to invest significantly in environmentally friendly packaging with a higher proportion of recycled PET. In the period from 2017 to 2021, in all we will invest more than three billion crowns in the Czech Republic,” added CEO of Coca-Cola HBC Czech Republic and Slovakia, Maria Anargyrou-Nikolic.

The Coca-Cola System is made up of Coca-Cola Czech Republic and Coca-Cola HBC Czech Republic and Slovakia, which produces and distributes the beverage portfolio to customers. Drinks are the final products and many suppliers also contribute to the added value. The sale of beverages also creates value for customers – shops and restaurants. Thanks to a unique methodology, the study monitors the social and economic impacts throughout this value chain.

Coca-Cola is local

Coca-Cola in 2018 produced more than 317 million liters of beverages in its production facility in Prague-Kyje. In addition to deliveries in the Czech Republic, the company has been steadily exporting beverages to more than 10 neighboring countries, including Switzerland and Austria. Beverage production has risen approximately threefold since the establishment of the plant in the early 1990s. Last year, the company had approximately 40,000 customers in the Czech Republic (supermarkets, shops, restaurants, cafes), selling more than 200 kinds of drinks in various packages. Consumers spent about CZK 8.25bn on Coca-Cola products. And 69% of each invested crown remained in the Czech economy as income. At the same time, the company purchased goods and services from domestic suppliers with a value of CZK 2.24bn last year.

The added value of the Czech economy was CZK 5.655 billion

The Coca-Cola System itself created added value of CZK 0.964bn. The added value in the supply chain was CZK 1.87bn and the sum in the subscriber chain was CZK 2.82bn. The total added value corresponds to 0.1% of the Czech Republic's gross domestic product. Last year, Coca-Cola directly paid CZK 776mn in salaries, while, indirectly, CZK 1.76bn went to salaries. Coca-Cola also paid CZK 188mn into public budgets. The state gained another CZK 2.151bn indirectly. Together these last two figures made up 0.2% of tax revenues in the Czech Republic.

Impact on employment – more than 5 500 people

The Coca-Cola System employed 828 people in 2018. Another 1,600 jobs were created by suppliers and about 3,000 jobs were created by customers. For each job in the Coca-Cola System, there were five additional supported jobs for suppliers and customers. In 2019, the company's workforce continued to increase – for example, the acquisition of the Toma plant meant more than 50 new employees were taken on board.

Sustainability and communities

Coca-Cola HBC has also published its sustainability report 2018. Among other things, it shows that since 2010 the company has reduced CO2 consumption per liter of beverage produced by 70% to 32.6 g. Water consumption has dropped from nearly 3 liters per liter of beverage produced to 1.92 liters over a decade. In the same period, the production plant Praha-Kyje increased its proportion of recycled waste from 52% to 99% and all electricity for this plant comes from renewable sources.

Coca-Cola is a leader in using recycled plastic in its packaging. PET bottles are made of 10-45% of “rPET” (recycled PET). For colored glass bottles, 75% of the glass is recycled. Coca-Cola HBC 22 years ago initiated and co-founded the authorized packaging company Eko-kom, thanks to which approximately 80% of PET bottles are collected in the Czech Republic today.

Within the community, Coca-Cola HBC has developed its flagship project To Dáš! (“You can do it!”), which helps disadvantaged young people in the labor market. In 2018, 492 people were trained under the project. Some of the training took place in cooperation with the Tereza Maxová Foundation which helps young people from children's homes. In this area, Coca-Cola HBC Czech Republic and Slovakia has provided help over the long term. The company has contributed more than CZK 20mn to children's homes over the past 15 years.

About the study:

The Social and Economic Impact Study (SEIS) was created by economists from international company Steward Redqueen. The study is based on audited economic results from 2018.

The study quantifies the impact of the Coca-Cola System on its value chain. The authors identify the impact indicators as household income, government income, corporate income and employment. The authors also followed everything systemically throughout the company – they followed the path extending from suppliers of key raw materials and services, through the Coca-Cola System, to business partners. The overall impact of the system is then quantified by monitoring cash flows in the Czech economy using an economic model that combines Coca-Cola's financial systems and official statistics. Added value (salaries, taxes and profits) and supported jobs in the Czech Republic are also estimated in each round of expenditure.

The methodology of this study is based on the work of a Nobel Prize winner in economics, Russian-American scientist Wassily Leontief. Steward Redqueen has offices in Amsterdam, Barcelona, ​​Singapore and Princeton. It has conducted similar social and economic impact studies in more than 30 countries. The first Czech SEIS study was created in 2014.

Bratislava, March 12, 2019 - The IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Trophy will be introduced to the Slovak public within the launch of Coca-Cola's new campaign, whose ambassadors are world ice hockey legends. Marian Hossa and Patrik Elias introduced the trophy in the Ondrej Nepela Stadium.

Over more than 130 years, during which consumers' taste preferences and life style have naturally changed, Coca-Cola has always come with innovative brands and own identity. Today, the company presents something which connects not only Slovakia and the Czech Republic but the whole world. It is sport on ice. Ice hockey is real passion for all generations of Slovaks. Last time, Slovaks were able to watch the Ice Hockey World championship in person 8 years ago and Coca-Cola was also present.

"It is our honor that we were able to connect with ice hockey legends such as Marian Hossa and Patrik Elias, who, in today's online times, support and initiate the interest in sport in young people,"said Natalia Stroe, Country Manager of The Coca-Cola Company for the Czech Republic & Slovakia.

The ice hockey campaign itself is in the spirit of a funny game with ice hockey rules entitled #cokerulez.

In addition to a television spot, interactive fun zones, activations in the sales points and special ice hockey edition of Coca-Cola drinks, a digital campaign featuring local Slovak influencers is also part of the communication.

This year, Coca-Cola also provides a special opportunity to see the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Trophy, which will visit, within the 2019 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola, 15 towns across Slovakia in the period from March 30, 2019 to April 13, 2019. You will be able to see the trophy for example in Bratislava, Kosice, Poprad, Zilina, Trencin or Banska Bystrica.

The partnership is accompanied especially by the Coca-Cola Zero brand. "We really believe our Zero is a Hero. Our consumers' needs are changing and we strive to address their preferences and support them in calorie intake control," added Maria Kolarovska, Regional Sales Manager Slovakia for Coca-Cola HBC Cesko and Slovensko. At the same time, Coca-Cola is proud to have achieved excellent results, where the sale of the calorie-free and low-caloric drink portfolio has risen, over the last two years, 50%. The company tries to support especially young people in restricted sugar consumption not only by reducing sugar content in its drinks. Since September 2018, Coca-Cola has reduced, beyond the frame of its legal obligations, the sale of sugary drinks in high schools across Slovakia, where it now offers only non-caloric and low-calorie drinks, water, juices and plant-based drinks AdeZ.

Coca-Cola's interest in young people does not focus only on sport and reducing calories in drinks. One of the Coca-Cola HBC's community programs focuses on young people with restricted access to education and job opportunities. For this reason, the company will support them within the "To das" ('You Can Do It') program which will be introduced in Slovakia soon.