Small And Micro Business Owners Graduate From Coca Cola's 'Growing Together' Initiati

The Coca-Cola Company and Coca-Cola Caribbean Bottlers Trinidad and Tobago's 'Growing Together Initiative' saw over 1,600 Small and Micro businesses owners graduate from a two-week-long, four module programme on November 12th. Lectures were provided by the University of the West Indies School of Business and Applied Studies, UWI-ROYTEC. Executive Director of UWI-ROYTEC, Keitha Perryman, said she considered this to be one of the largest Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives in Trinidad and Tobago, focussed exclusively on Small and Medium Enterprises. "As at October 2024, 2,134 small business participants successfully completed training offered through the Growing Together initiative." General Manager of Coca-Cola, Caribbean Bottlers Trinidad and Tobago, Camille Chatoor, encouraged graduating entrepreneurs to continue investing their time and energy into similar programmes. She said this showcases their joint commitment to growth and the growth of the business community. "This Programme speaks to the unique partnership that Caribbean Bottlers has with you, our customers and other businesses, to support you and invest in your growth through opportunities to collaborate with us and collectively sharpen our business acumen." Minister of Trade and Industry, Paula Gopee-Scoon, reiterated the importance of SMEs in Trinidad and Tobago's economy. She said they account for approximately 85% of all registered businesses in Trinidad and Tobago and contributes close to 30% of Trinidad and Tobago's Gross Domestic Product. "You are a substantial contributor to the economy of Trinidad and Tobago and you are the ones who are at the forefront of innovation, and innovation is not too big of a word for you to think about, but you have and the importance of it is that you have to be able to adapt quickly to changing market demands and conditions and of course, always experimenting with new ideas." Since launching this initiative in 2023, Coca-Cola has provided training for 2,134 SMEs, exceeding their initial goal of reaching 2,000 unique businesses across Trinidad and Tobago. The Growing Together initiative is part of a wider programme across the Caribbean region hosted by The Coca-Cola Company alongside their partners.