1 day ago
24
PepsiCo is overhauling its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, joining a growing list of major US companies reassessing such programs as former President Donald Trump pushes to dismantle them across both the federal government and private sector.
According to a company memo sent to employees, the Frito-Lay and 7Up maker will eliminate workforce representation goals tied to DEI and transition its chief DEI officer into a broader role focused on associate engagement and leadership development.
The officer will also continue working on PepsiCo’s 2021 initiative, “A Space to Be You.”
PepsiCo’s CEO Ramon Laguarta said the company is making the changes as it moves into a new phase of its inclusion efforts.
“As 2025 marks the end of our five-year strategy, we will introduce a new ‘Inclusion for Growth’ strategy,” Laguarta stated in the memo.
The shift comes amid mounting pressure from Trump, who has called on private-sector companies to end what he describes as “illegal DEI discrimination and preferences.”
Several corporations, including Target and Alphabet-owned Google, have already scaled back or reconsidered their DEI policies in response to the political climate.
Trump has also ordered federal agencies to eliminate DEI programs and warned that academic institutions and universities could face funding cuts if they continue such initiatives.
In addition to restructuring its DEI framework, PepsiCo is expanding its supplier base, aiming to provide more opportunities for all small businesses to work with the company.
The company would also discontinue participation in surveys that track workforce demographics by a single category, according to the memo.
Boluwatife Enome
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