Emil Kolev: Circular economy is the key to a more sustainable world

People are the secret ingredient in the recipe of all successes of Coca-Cola HBC Bulgaria, says the Plant Manager of the company's production center in Kostinbrod to the Economy magazine

Mr. Kolev, how does Coca-Cola HBC Bulgaria achieve sustainability in its development at a time of rapid continuous changes?

Our company is continuously building on our sustainability efforts by focusing on innovation, sustainable practices and active engagement with the local community. In an environment of dynamic change, we are adapting our business models and investing in new technologies that reduce our environmental impact. We are actively working to improve energy efficiency and resource optimization while developing more sustainable packaging. We actively collaborate with various partners and initiate socially responsible projects that respond to people's needs. Thanks to this approach, we are successfully turning challenges into opportunities while maintaining our focus on long-term growth.

World Without Waste – that's the big goal globally and locally for Coca-Cola. What have you achieved so far, what's next?

One of the main steps we took in this direction was to introduce tethered caps to PET packaging for our entire soft drinks portfolio a full two years before the EU Directive came into force, which requires this of all manufacturers within the EU. The goal is clear – to simplify the collection and recycling of all packaging. In addition to this, we have reduced the total amount of waste generated by our operations by over 200 tonnes since 2017 and reduced landfilled waste by 28%, compared to 2021. From 2022, our Bankya plant no longer landfill municipal waste. At the same time, as the country's largest soft drinks producer, we continue to support and be actively involved in the implementation of the deposit system in our country. Our long-term goal is to collect and recycle the equivalent of every bottle or can we put on the market by 2030.

The deposit system is indeed a good intention, but what for you is the key point that has the power to change habits in the ease of existence that has become accustomed to generating more and more waste?

I think the real catalyst for changing habits is realizing the value of resources and understanding that each of us is responsible not only for our collective future, but also for that of our children. The fact is that even the smallest environmental efforts on our part can lead to large-scale benefits for the nature that we exist because of.