The Coca-Cola Company has partnered with the International Cricket Council (ICC) for the Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 as the official beverage partner and is driving recycling and community engagement initiatives across Sri Lanka.
This initiative reinforces one of Coca-Cola’s core pillars Packaging, guided by a dual focus on Design and Partner to Collect. In alignment with the Coca-Cola system’s voluntary environmental goals for 2035, the effort supports stronger collection and recycling systems, contributing to the company’s ambition to help collect and recycle the equivalent of 70–75% of the bottles and cans it introduces into the market.
In Sri Lanka, Coca-Cola Beverages Sri Lanka (CCBSL), in collaboration with Neptune Recyclers, is leading the PET collection and recycling drive for all matches played in Colombo and Kandy under its flagship initiative, “Give Back Life”. CCBSL will oversee the full implementation of on-ground activities, including the collection of PET bottles and aluminum cans, as well as the training of volunteers on proper waste collection, health and safety, and segregation practices. In addition, CCBSL will also coordinate and support by overseeing the Coca-Cola Foundation’s program activities in collaboration with UNDP, the ICC, and the Sri Lanka Cricket Board, ensuring effective execution during the tournament.
Commenting on the initiative, Coca-Cola Beverages Sri Lanka Managing Director, Pradip Pandey said, “The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup brings out a special kind of pride and excitement in Sri Lanka. When you have that kind of positivity around the game, it is important for us to play a humble part in continuing to keep the experience positive for everyone, during the match and after the final over.”
“We believe the simplest habits, disposing of a bottle or aluminum CAN correctly, can make a meaningful difference when thousands of fans are doing it together. That is why we work with partners to strengthen recycling on the ground and continue to support initiatives that enable local recycling value chains and the people who depend on them.”
To date, “Give Back Life” has established over 650 PET plastic collection points, including 21 large-scale huts that can each collect approximately 5,000kg of PET, along with 28 collection centres, 15 Material Recovery Facilities, and the adoption of eight beaches and waterways that are cleaned daily through its Adopt A Beach programme. This initiative has also introduced its first electric three-wheeler in Sri Lanka as a step forward to support the efficient and sustainable collection and transportation of recyclable waste, offering an economical solution with a lower carbon footprint.