While companies must do “the right thing”, they do not and cannot embrace every environmental and social justice issue.
The Biden administration announced that it would not be sending officials to China for the winter Olympics. Following this announcement, many people called out companies like Coca-Cola and Visa for sponsoring the Winter Olympics
But a decision like sponsoring the Olympics is complicated and has many layers, including its financial implications. Firstly, Coke and its independent bottling partners employ more than 7000,000 people. When Coca-Cola makes profits from sponsoring events like the Olympics, the employees benefit too.
Companies can also use the gains made from massive events to support other organisations against issues like human rights abuses. For instance, Coca-Cola has donated more than $1 billion towards creating a diverse, equal and inclusive culture in the communities it operates in.
[6 minute read]
