Coke to form green council

The India Advisory Board of Coca-Cola India decided at its first meeting here yesterday to form an India Environment Council. Justice B N Kirpal, former chief justice of India, has agreed to lead the council as its chairman.

The advisory board, comprising some of the country's top professionals and most distinguished personalities from different walks of life, put environment-related activity as a key focus area for the company. The India Environment Council will help the company steer its environmental plans and policies going forward.

The board, which met under the chairmanship of former union cabinet secretary, Naresh Chandra, will guide the company on various issues including future strategies, corporate citizenship, social responsibility and corporate governance.

The members of India Advisory Board apart from Justice Kirpal and Naresh Chandra include former chief of staff of the Indian army General V.P. Malik (retd), HDFC chairman Deepak Parekh, former Hindustan Lever chairman S.M. Dutta, Hero group managing director Sunil Kant Munjal, economist Jairam Ramesh, sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan and educationist Shyama Chona.

Sanjiv Gupta, India division president, The Coca-Cola Company, said: "We are happy to have such eminent persons on the board to guide Coca-Cola India on various aspects of the company going forward. Worldwide our company is known for its adherence to practices in various fields of corporate citizenship, future growth and corporate governance. Nothing is more important to our success than integrity and a strong sense of accountability in everything we do," adding "We strongly recognize the need for such an independent Advisory Board, comprising some of the country's best quality individuals and professionals, to guide us and help fulfill our aspirations to become a model corporate citizen of India."