It is unknown to what extent Coca-Cola Consolidated uses non-disclosure agreements and mandatory arbitration, which conceal from external audiences internal culture challenges. Given this, the extent to which harassment and discrimination exist within the company is unknown.
There have been several high-profile derivative suits settled, including at Twentieth Century Fox, Wynn Resorts, and Alphabet, alleging boards breached their duties by failing to protect employees from discrimination and harassment, injuring the companies and their shareholders.
Civil rights violations within the workplace can result in substantial costs to companies, including fines and penalties, legal costs, costs related to absenteeism, reduced productivity, challenges recruiting, and distraction of leadership. A company’s failure to properly manage its workforce can have significant ramifications, jeopardizing relationships with customers and other partners.
A public report such as the one requested would assist shareholders in assessing whether the Company is improving its workforce management.
Board of Directors’ Statement in Opposition to the Proposal
The Board of Directors unanimously recommends that you vote “AGAINST” this stockholder proposal. The Board believes that adopting this proposal would not be in the best interests of Coca-Cola Consolidated or its stockholders and opposes it for the reasons discussed below.
The Board of Directors and Coca-Cola Consolidated’s senior management believe that a strong workplace culture and a commitment from the top of the organization to foster an inclusive and respectful workplace are critical to the long-term success of the Company and are essential parts of an effective anti-harassment and anti-discrimination program. At Coca-Cola Consolidated, the foundation of our workplace culture is a focus on our Purpose, which is to honor God in all we do, to serve others, to pursue excellence and to grow profitably. Our Purpose Statement also recognizes certain values, such as respectfulness and supportiveness, that we aspire to as an organization and also includes a call to act in ways to support, encourage and respect our fellow employees and to value and cultivate a diverse workforce. We strive to be an organization that promotes and encourages the development of all of our employees, both personally and professionally. We believe that this focus on our Purpose, values and culture is at the core of creating and maintaining an inclusive and respectful workplace where employees want to work, learn and grow and an effective anti-harassment and anti-discrimination program.
Coca-Cola Consolidated maintains policies and procedures that prohibit harassment, discrimination and retaliation and encourage reporting of any suspected workplace misconduct. Specifically, the Company’s Code of Business Conduct, which applies to all directors, officers and employees of the Company and its subsidiaries, expressly prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, genetic information or any other factor prohibited by applicable law. The Company’s Code of Business Conduct states that the Company’s policies and practices strive to assure equal opportunity in the workplace, including hiring, promotion and assignment of applicants and fellow employees. Additionally, the Company’s Code of Business Conduct provides that the workplace should reflect appropriate, respectful conduct, characterized by mutual trust and the absence of intimidation, oppression and exploitation. As stated in the Company’s Code of Business Conduct, the Company is fully committed to ensuring that no employee is subjected to unlawful harassment or discrimination, and verbal or physical threats or intimidation, unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other unwelcome verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature are strictly prohibited. Coca-Cola Consolidated has defined additional workplace conduct rules and expectations in the Company’s policies and procedures that all employees are expected to know and follow, including Anti-Harassment, Anti-Discrimination and Workplace Conduct Policies that expressly prohibit harassment, discrimination and retaliation in all aspects of employment. Coca-Cola Consolidated provides multiple channels for employees to raise concerns, including anonymously or confidentially, and the Company will not permit any form of retaliation against any person who, in good faith, reports suspected violations of the Company’s Code of Business Conduct or any workplace conduct policy.
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