The Sustainability Board, a national program developed by Coca-Cola HBC Romania through the #DupăNoi sustainability platform and the Federation of Community Foundations in Romania, with PENNY Romania as strategic partner and the Prahova Community Foundation as local partner, has expanded its network of partners with the addition of Bergenbier. By joining the initiative, the company becomes part of an innovative working model in which private organizations, local communities, NGOs, and public institutions jointly design and implement real solutions to environmental challenges and social needs in Romania.
Bergenbier’s participation strengthens the program’s mission to transform individual involvement into a collective force capable of generating positive change for both people and the environment. The partnership also reinforces the role of the private sector as a structural partner in long-term initiatives with direct impact on community development.
“For Bergenbier, sustainability means care for communities and responsibility for the environment in which we operate. Joining the Sustainability Board gives us the opportunity to further strengthen these values and support the development of the Ploiești community, where our brewery is located and where we contribute to the local economy. This initiative builds on the sustainability and responsibility projects we have implemented over the years, and we are confident that together we will develop initiatives with real impact,” said Ștefania Bătrînca, Interim CEE Communications & Corporate Affairs Director at Bergenbier.
Launched in January 2025 in Ploiești, the Sustainability Board operates under a collaborative model inspired by SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals, bringing together private companies, NGOs, local authorities, and experts to identify real community challenges and implement concrete solutions. In its first year of activity, the program developed and supported two major initiatives: CIVITECA and Sustainable in the Neighborhood.
Through CIVITECA, Ploiești’s first community hub and a dedicated space for dialogue, more than 30 events and activities were organized, involving over 300 participants from the local community, public authorities, experts, NGOs, and civic groups. The hub hosted workshops focused on sustainable lifestyles, development sessions for organizations, and more than 60 hours of counseling dedicated to the local civil society.
Meanwhile, the Sustainable in the Neighborhood program, through four micro-grants awarded to local NGOs, transformed community ideas into concrete action. More than 1,000 direct beneficiaries took part in educational activities, workshops, tree-planting actions, and urban regeneration initiatives. The interventions implemented across neighborhoods—from urban gardens and multifunctional green spaces to ecological hubs and youth-focused activities—mobilized local communities and demonstrated that locally driven solutions can generate lasting change when supported by expertise and committed partners.
