of the Company's Board of Directors. While our estimates and assumptions are based on our knowledge of current events and actions we may undertake in the future, actual results may ultimately differ from these estimates and assumptions. For a discussion of the Company's significant accounting policies, refer to Note 1 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. 

Principles of Consolidation 

Our Company consolidates all entities that we control by ownership of a majority voting interest as well as VIEs for which our Company is the primary beneficiary. Generally, we consolidate only business enterprises that we control by ownership of a majority voting interest. However, there are situations in which consolidation is required even though the usual condition of consolidation (ownership of a majority voting interest) does not apply. Generally, this occurs when an entity holds an interest in another business enterprise that was achieved through arrangements that do not involve voting interests, which results in a disproportionate relationship between such entity's voting interests in, and its exposure to the economic risks and potential rewards of, the other business enterprise. This disproportionate relationship results in what is known as a variable interest, and the entity in which we have the variable interest is referred to as a "VIE". An enterprise must consolidate a VIE if it is determined to be the primary beneficiary of the VIE. The primary beneficiary has both (a) the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact the entity's economic performance, and (b) the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits from the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE. 

Our Company holds interests in certain VIEs, primarily bottling and container manufacturing operations, for which we were not determined to be the primary beneficiary. Our variable interests in these VIEs primarily relate to profit guarantees or subordinated financial support. Refer to Note 11 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. Although these financial arrangements resulted in us holding variable interests in these entities, the majority of these arrangements did not empower us to direct the activities of the VIEs that most significantly impact the VIEs' economic performance. Our Company's investments, plus any loans and guarantees, related to these VIEs totaled $1,183 million and $1,274 million as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively, representing our maximum exposures to loss. The Company's investments, plus any loans and guarantees, related to these VIEs were not significant to the Company's consolidated financial statements. 

In addition, our Company holds interests in certain VIEs, primarily bottling and container manufacturing operations, for which we were determined to be the primary beneficiary. As a result, we have consolidated these entities. Our Company's investments, plus any loans and guarantees, related to these VIEs totaled $199 million and $191 million as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively, representing our maximum exposures to loss. The assets and liabilities of VIEs for which we