At NextUp, we take pride in our community of partner organizations, all of whom have committed to driving a more equitable future. According to our recent Member Organization Survey, conducted in collaboration with the IBM Institute for Business Value, NextUp partner organizations are twice as likely to be recognized as ‘first movers’ for gender equity, and are doing a far better job at building the bridge to leadership for women.
Among these is The Coca-Cola Company, who have gone above and beyond with their integration of NextUp into their core values, resulting in a lasting impact on their leadership pipeline. So today, we’re kicking off a brand-new series of articles, PowerTalks with The Coca-Cola Company, starting with our very own Board Chair Dagmar Boggs! Dagmar is the President of Food Services & On-Premise for North America at The Coca-Cola Company and has been a member of NextUp since 2009. Read on as Dagmar shares insights into how their NextUp partnership has shaped Coca-Cola’s talent pipelines and business strategy to achieve gender parity.
Why does Coca-Cola partner with NextUp?
Coca-Cola is a strong believer that an equitable workplace drives superior performance. We’ve always believed in gender parity and seek enablers that help us achieve it at all levels of the organization. I believe we’ve done a good job of that at Coca-Cola.
What makes this partnership particularly effective at advancing women in business?
NextUp allows us to continue developing our female leaders, regardless of where they are in their careers. We use NextUp for leadership and capability development, networking outside of the company, and it supplements our leadership career track here at Coca-Cola. We also value the sense of community NextUp provides, whether at regional or national events.
Can you explain the impact that the NextUp partnership has had on The Coca-Cola Company?
We have a very strong NextUp membership base, supported by commitment from the most senior levels of the organization. We offer scholarships for our associates to attend training and development programs that NextUp provides. This builds engagement and creates a safe networking for them.
When we attend conferences such as NextUp Leadership Summit and the Executive Symposium & Forum, we use NextUp to build relationships within our organization as well as with leaders from other companies. It’s a multifaceted value proposition—connecting with our customers, engaging with our community, and fostering leadership development.
How has Coca-Cola integrated the NextUp partnership into employee development and talent management?
NextUp participation is now formally integrated into our talent profiles, which gives our associates credit for leadership roles and learning tracks. We’ve set a membership requirement where our associates are required to attend 3 NextUp events per year, and many far exceed that. This is a first for us. We’re integrating more and it’s been a journey, but it’s something we offer to help our associates become the best version of themselves!
How does Coca-Cola’s talent infrastructure support gender parity, and how has this influenced the pipeline from entry level roles to the C-suite?
Coca-Cola, as a 138-year-old enterprise, has always remained contemporary and aware of the times. We mirror the population and the consumers we represent, which means gender parity is critical to our business. From our CEO down, there is a commitment to protect, invest in, and build gender parity for today and the future. We focus on representing all demographic groups, because it’s the right thing for our business and our people. Our Global Women’s Leadership Council, which I sit on, includes leaders from around the world and ensures there’s governance, programming, understanding, and communication around our commitment.
Can you share what you think is driving Coca-Cola’s record participation in NextUp events in 2024?
Our success in this area has come from increased discipline, focus, and clear communication about the value of NextUp, which has been effectively communicated internally to reach the right leaders. The expectation is that attendees bring back valuable knowledge and insights from these events and share them with others. With strong ambassadors, committed leadership, and a keen interest in the NextUp agenda, we have built a robust and engaged network around these initiatives.
In your speech at the 2024 NextUp Executive Symposium & Forum, you spoke about ‘first movers’ being critical in advancing gender parity. What specific qualities or actions do you believe distinguish these organizations, and how can others adopt this mindset?
First and foremost, you must have executive leadership who believe in the power of gender parity. Full stop. It can’t only be in the middle of the organization. They must truly believe and understand that this is right for business, as our CEO and entire executive team do.
We are very clear that we want to represent what the marketplace looks like, and gender parity is key to that. If you don’t have that commitment from the most senior level, you’re going to have a difficult time getting consistency across your organization. Executive sponsorship and endorsement are critical, and once you have that, everything else falls into place.
As the chair of the NextUp board, and an executive at Coca-Cola, what are your biggest takeaways from working across multiple organizations?
I believe the organizations that engage and truly activate the NextUp partnership, are committed to gender parity. In our board meetings, we have real conversations about what impact looks like and what we need to do differently to ensure that impact grows and continues over the years. I’m very proud of the NextUp board because we’re not passive—we’re very active and passionate about advancing women in the workplace. We can do so much more, and I find that very exciting.
You posed some thought-provoking questions at the end of your Forum speech— and we’d love to know your answer. What’s one action that you’re most proud of taking to retain future women leaders?
I have decision rights when it comes to hiring, and my leadership team reflects 50-50 gender parity. When I make hiring decisions, I ensure that we reflect gender parity in my leadership team, and I’m proud that my leaders are now doing the same. They have leaders reporting to them who are also modeling this behavior, and it’s trickling down through the organization. I’m thrilled to see that.
Thank you for tuning into the PowerTalks with The Coca-Cola Company series! Be sure to stay tuned to the NextUp Content Hub for more profiles and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.
