March 7, 2008 - Coca-Cola's new health and sustainability push is geared toward Coke employees as much as consumers. In a recent interview, chief marketing officer Katie Baynes tells Advertising Age that employee education a key plank in the company's campaign.

"We realized that many of our own employees are not aware of a lot of the messages and simple facts we're promoting here," Baynes says. "Our employees are our best brand ambassadors, but we haven't been giving them the tools to act as such."

Coke has launched a new website that outlines the company's corporate responsibility programs in local communities and helps employees and consumers find volunteer opportunities in their area. It has also created a training program that encourages employees to learn more about the company's products.

Baynes emphasizes that what sets Coke's new sustainability message apart from the green bandwagon is its focus on long-standing programs. The campaign will highlight "partnerships we've had for decades and some for nearly 100 years, and that is a fundamental difference," according to Baynes.

In enrolling employees in its sustainability efforts, Coke is implementing a strategy that has netted positive results for other major brands, according Robert Hildreth, vice president of global strategy at green-branding firm Saatchi & Saatchi S. Speaking at recent conference in Rhode Island, Hildreth said the most successful corporate sustainability initiatives inspire individual employees to tackle small-scale environmental and social issues.