CR motion about CRs' use of Coca-Cola for entz and bars

This JCR notes:

a) That Coca-Cola company products are sold in St John's in the College bar.
b) That our JCR is committed to making St John's a fair trade College.
c) That the Coca Cola company stands accused of a number of serious human rights violations:
- In Kerala, India the Coca Cola Plant established in 1998-99 on a 40 acre plot (previously paddy fields) has had devastating affects on the water supply. The plant appropriates ground water resources and water in wells has hence rapidly depleted; many have to walk miles for drinking water. The plant releases chemicals into the ground water which makes it unfit for drinking. The company have attempted to sell their slurry waste to farmers.
- In the US in 2000, faced with charges of racial discrimination by 2000 African-American employees in Atlanta, Georgia, Coca Cola made an out of court settlement of $192.5 million.
- In Columbia, Coca Cola have not denied using paramilitaries to murder, torture and detain trade union leaders. They merely claim that they can not be held liable in a US Federal Court for occurrences in Columbia.
- In the US in 2002 the Coca Cola company and its network of bottlers were cited for 222 violations of Federal Health and Safety standards by the OHSA.
- In Panama, Coca-cola have been fined $300,000 for polluting the Matasnillo River.
d) That alternatives to Coca Cola are available, such as Qibla Cola.

Believes:

e) That Coca Cola is not a socially or ethically responsible company.
f) That a company with such an appalling track record as Coca Cola has no place in St John's College.
g) That selling Coca-Cola in St John's contradicts our attempts to become a fair-trade College.

This JCR resolves:

h) To stop buying Coca-cola products for any JCR event.
i) To environment the Environment and Ethics Officer to research ethical Coca-cola alternatives and enter into dialogue with the Bar Management to get Coca-cola products replaced in the bar.

Posted on 06/06/05 by tom