Coca-Cola HBC Italia and Junior Achievement Italia together again against gender stereotypes in STEM disciplines

On the occasion of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, the company and the non-profit association present the fourth edition of the "Girls in STEM Award" and the second of "Women and STEM" to stimulate and spread the full and equal access of women in science and technology.

Milan, February 11, 2021 – The fourth edition of Girls in STEM , the initiative of Coca-Cola HBC Italia, the main bottler of The Coca-Cola Company brand products in Italy, and Junior Achievement Italia, the largest non-profit organization in the world dedicated to economic-entrepreneurial education in schools, to combat gender stereotypes, starts today that drive young female students away from technical-scientific study paths. The project, which involved over 1,300 girls in the early years, is promoted by the Coca-Cola HBC Italia Foundation and will be provided to 20 female students between the ages of 16 and 18 who will most stand out for the skills shown in this area: 5 at national level and, for the first time, 15 at local level in north-central-southern Italy. The winners will have the opportunity to participate in exclusive mentoring sessions with the Managers of Coca-Cola HBC Italia and will be able to visit the company's production facilities in their region.

The commitment of the company and Junior Achievement will then continue in April, the month of STEM, with the second edition of the "Women and STEM" workshop, an opportunity to share career opportunities in this sector. The webinar is part of the schedule of the "Orientation Marathon", a cycle of live masterclasses together with the best experts from different sectors, which offer students an overview of the employment opportunities of today and tomorrow, with attention to the new skills required. 

"At Coca-Cola HBC Italia we are committed to building a work environment based exclusively on merit, as evidenced by the many key roles held by women, from the director of our largest plant in the South, to the national manager of product quality. The gender gap, particularly in STEM disciplines, unfortunately still remains a topical issue," said Giangiacomo Pierini, Corporate Affairs & Sustainability Director of Coca-Cola HBC Italia "Through the collaboration with Junior Achievement we want to bring our commitment even outside the offices and factories, trying to tackle the problem at the root."

"Even today we are witnessing a gender imbalance that has its roots in the historical-cultural sphere. Women's empowerment is a progressive and transformative process that must generate concrete changes, even measurable, capable of impacting on individuality but also on the community, and the collaboration with Coca-Cola HBC Italia allows us to offer students, but also teachers, a moment of meeting and discussion on the topic with the aim of increasing awareness in girls of the future that may await them and of the business realities of reference towards which to orient oneself", says Miriam Cresta, CEO of Junior Achievement Italia

In addition to STEM projects, JA Italia and Coca-Cola HBC Italia also continue to collaborate through #YouthEmpowered workshops , the educational format that allows students in the last three years of high school to deepen, thanks to practical and engaging simulations, some transversal and business skills useful for their study and professional path. The project, which has involved over 37,500 students throughout Italy since its inception, is part of the activities recognized as PCTO. 

For more information and to participate in the projects: 

       · Girls in STEM: https://www.jaitalia.org/girls-in-stem/

       · Women and STEM Workshop: https://www.jaitalia.org/maratona-orientamento/

       · YouthEmpowered: https://www.jaitalia.org/orientamento-e-formazione-online-con-youthempowered/