Coca-Cola to cut IT jobs

Atlanta-based Coca-Cola Co. said Thursday it will cut jobs in its information technology department as part of a company-wide effort to become more efficient.

Employees were told this week they would be notified in mid-November if their positions were being eliminated. Separations will take place by the end of the year.

The global information technology department has about 1,100 employees. Coca-Cola would not give a target for the number of jobs that will be cut, but it would not be a major reduction in staff, said Coca-Cola spokesman Dana Bolden.

“This is a natural and on-going discipline for high-performing companies as part of their long-term planning,” Bolden said. “As this process moves forward, we expect that IT work will be reassigned within the company, resulting in a minimal reduction in staff over several years.”

The cuts are part of a broader initiative across all Coca-Cola operations. Coca-Cola President and CEO Muhtar Kent announced earlier this year he wanted to find $400 million to $500 million in annual productivity savings by the end of 2011.