PepsiCorps Goes to India

Beverage giant PepsiCo has announced the India launch of PepsiCorps, a one-month on-the-ground program that leverages employees’ business skills to assist with community projects.

As part of the program, the PepsiCorps team of eight employees has initiated water conservation projects with Bhoruka Charitable Trust (BCT), Churu district - Rajasthan, which aims to develop a long-term, sustainable solution to tackle the water scarcity challenges faced by the Bhorugram community.

PepsiCorps provides employees with an international business experience that encapsulates PepsiCo's “Performance with Purpose” agenda, the belief that “long-term profitable growth can be achieved by delivering a healthier, sustainable future for people and our planet.”

PepsiCorps’ employees apply their business skills and expertise to community projects around the world. "PepsiCorps is all about going beyond your day job to make an impact in the world,” said Sergio Ezama, SVP, talent management and development at PepsiCo. “Through this project, we hope to develop the leaders of tomorrow by strengthening skills like flexibility, adaptability and resilience among the participants. Not limited by geographic boundaries, PepsiCorps encourages participants to take on a global mindset and be adaptable by working creatively in resource contained rural areas."

PepsiCorps is the company's first overseas employee skills-based service program. Its pilot project in 2011 entailed working with local water boards in Denu, Ghana, to improve community access to clean water, boost eco-tourism and teach hygiene in schools.

PepsiCo has been lauded for its water conservation initiatives across its business operations and agricultural supply chain around the world. PepsiCo has provided access to safe water for more than 1 million people globally with the PepsiCo Foundation and other partners and conserved nearly 16 billion liters of water in 2011 throughout its manufacturing facilities.

In 2011, PepsiCo India saved 14.7 billion liters of water, which is 8.3 billion liters more than what it used.