PepsiCo has announced a forthcoming meeting with Reverend Al Sharpton and National Action Network officials following its recent policy moves regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives that came under fire. The new policy has raised the eyebrows of civil rights groups, especially after it eliminated some of its DEI-related goals.
Earlier in the year, PepsiCo announced that it would no longer set targets for minority representation within management positions and its supply chain alliances. The move was noted by Reverend Sharpton, who wrote about the matter in an official letter to PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta on April 4. He warned that such a move could prompt a boycott and requested an urgent meeting to discuss the company’s current trajectory.
Reverend Sharpton would like to know whether PepsiCo remains committed to fair practices in hiring and procurement. The company’s decision to abandon target-based diversity efforts is part of broader corporate trends in the United States, particularly in the wake of the change in federal policy earlier this year. In reaction to new administrative guidelines, several corporations—large box stores like Walmart and Target—have abandoned or altered internal DEI programs.
Sharpton has long promoted economic accountability by the big brands. He was recently a vocal supporter of Costco in retaining its DEI initiatives, bringing its approaches into relief from other companies that have strayed. His appeal to keep supporting those companies that are still enforcing inclusive policies is a refrain from recent discussion about the topic of company accountability in contracting and hiring.
So far, PepsiCo has not made any public statement about the planned meeting or whether it will revisit its DEI framework. The outcome of the discussion with Reverend Sharpton may affect public opinion, especially from communities that supported PepsiCo’s previous DEI efforts.
With Pepsi, Lay’s, Doritos, and Gatorade being some of the brands it owns, PepsiCo’s actions often make global headlines. The session could be the trigger for how the organization brings its internal policy in line with public expectations regarding inclusivity and equal opportunity.