Coca-Cola Consolidated was honored to partner with the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing as the official non-alcoholic beverage provider for the 56th tournament. More than 6.2 tons of bottles and cans were collected.
“With over 100,000 fans staying hydrated throughout South Carolina’s signature PGA TOUR event, sustainability is always top of mind,” said Todd Marty, Senior Director of Public Affairs and Sustainability at Coke Consolidated. “Our goal, alongside the RBC Heritage staff and local volunteers, is to make recycling the go-to option. Cans and bottles are not single-use items – it’s integral that we work together to put our planet first.”
This year, Coke Consolidated invested to increase the number of recycling bins stationed throughout the tournament for fans. The tournament staff partnered with local recycling company i2Recycle along with Florida-based group Rico Solutions. The Bluffton High School athletic department volunteered to provide labor that helped collect and recover plastic bottles, aluminum cans and cardboard from the tournament. Coca-Cola Consolidated partners with i2Recycle to ensure packaging collected is used to create a circular economy so we can make new bottles and cans and other packaging. 
The Consolidated team also unveiled exciting new community sustainability and workforce readiness initiatives in partnership with Coca-Cola and the Boys & Girls Club of Hilton Head Island.
“We know how vital serving and giving back to youth is to our RBC Heritage tournament partners, and it directly aligns with Coke Consolidated’s mission to serve and develop the next generation of diverse student leaders,” said Taylor Mahaffey, Senior Manager of Community Programming and Projects at Coke Consolidated. “We are honored to help provide opportunities for students to learn about future careers and look forward to evolving this partnership in the future.”
Middle school and high school students spent time shadowing professionals across the career spectrum, learning about a range of topics, including tournament operations, sustainability efforts, sports marketing, local government, and public relations.
“Having Coke Consolidated here allowed us to learn about sustainability in a fun and interactive way. We got to go to the Heritage tournament, and it allowed Coke Consolidated to show us how they use their skills in a real-life setting,” said Santiago From, a member of the Boys & Girls Club of Hilton Head Island. “The Mayor of Hilton Head Island talked about how important it is to have a group of people to support him, and it was interesting to hear how he became the mayor.”
Students witnessed the importance of sustainability efforts firsthand, as the sustainability team led an engaging presentation covering the three pillars of Coke Consolidated’s Sustainability efforts: Climate protection, water leadership and package recycling.
“Working with Coca-Cola Consolidated has been amazing. Every interaction was meaningful and purposeful,” said Courtney Dowell, Director of Teen Programming at the Boys & Girls Club of Hilton Head Island. “Todd was engaging, informative, and obviously committed to his job; his energy translated directly to the kids. Helping my kids see a variety of career paths is an integral part of our Workforce Readiness and Career Launch programs, and we hope to continue this partnership for years to come!”
Students left the tournament with a final challenge – to foster environmental stewardship by sharing what they had learned with friends and family.
“I learned a lot, it was fun, and I was surprised they came all the way here to tell us more about recycling; it shows how important it is to them,” said Jesus Serrano, a member of the Boys & Girls Club of Hilton Head Island.
And with each bottle, can or package, a difference can be made.
“As the local bottler, we steadfastly believe in the power of community partnerships,” said Marty. “By joining forces with the communities we serve, we can enhance existing initiatives or initiate new programs based on best practices gleaned from our collaborations with other regions.”
Coca-Cola products have been served at the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing since the PGA TOUR event debuted in 1969 at Harbour Town Golf Links. Coke Consolidated has more than 1,550 teammates working at seven facilities in the state, including a production center in Bishopville, SC.
Learn more about our sustainability efforts here.
