case volume growth in other markets, including 0 percent in Argentina, 5 percent in China, 26 percent in Russia and 0 percent in Turkey. We will continue to focus on these and other strong markets, such as Brazil, Mexico and Spain, while we implement customized plans for stabilization and growth 

in underperforming markets. 

Our opportunities for growth are significant. Even in developed markets, only 62 percent of beverages consumed are nonalcoholic ready-to-drink. And in developing and emerging markets—places like China and India with fast-growing populations and ever-increasing spending power—just 40 percent of all beverages consumed are nonalcoholic ready-to-drink. We are capturing these tremendous opportunities by focusing on providing ready-to-drink beverages that honor local cultures, preferences and tastes. 

Local Relationships Matter 

From the beginning of my relationship with The Coca-Cola Company, I have experienced the global—and very local—nature of the Coca-Cola business. My family moved from Northern Ireland to Zambia, Africa, when I was 0 years old, and I fell in love with the continent—its people, wildlife and ecosystems. Although I studied social science at university in South Africa, I took a job with the Coca-Cola system in Kitwe, Zambia, more than 40 years ago. Even back then, Coca-Cola was considered a local company rather than a multinational corporation. 

Multiply my own story by the 7,000 of our associates who live and work around the world—nearly 59,000 of them outside of the United States—and you begin to see the local nature of our global business. Add the local bottling partners, suppliers and customers who sell our beverages from grocery stores to roadside kiosks, and it is clear just how closely our business is interwoven with local economies and communities. What makes our business different, and even more deeply ingrained in local life, is that nearly all of our beverages are produced by local people, using local resources. The nature of our business gives us deeper local consumer insights, production sites close to our markets and significant supply chain efficiencies. Our business is an integral component of local economies. Through salaries, taxes, benefits and relationships with local bottling and business partners, we help fuel economies around the world. 

Our business can only be as healthy as the local communities where we operate. This is why we partner with governmental and nongovernmental organizations, as well as community leaders,

to develop and implement initiatives that help build sustainable communities. We are focused especially on water, which represents a critical resource for the sustainability of our business and the communities in which we operate. We also use our system’s extensive distribution network to provide disaster relief, raise awareness of HIV/AIDS and sponsor educational and physical fitness programs that make a positive difference. 

Accountability goes beyond the Company’s finances. In today’s world, earning trust requires more than just attention to sales reports and balance sheets. Conducting business responsibly is just as important as conducting it profitably. We