PepsiCo Europe CPO: ‘Every step forward that we take is because of our people’

Global food and drinks giant PepsiCo is a hugely successful business.

It saw revenues reach $91.5 billion globally in 2023. 43% of that revenue was from outside of the US, with 15% (or $13.2 billion) coming from Europe.

The key to success here is really leaning into having a positive social impact.

For the drinks giant, social impact is “clearly linked to our strategic goals, financial performance and long-term sustainability”, PepsiCo Europe’s Chief People Officer Dannii Portsmouth exclusively tells UNLEASH.

Portsmouth adds: “What’s good for society is good for business, and our associates, our suppliers and our consumers know this.”

This focus is guided by a North Star that was introduced in 2021, titled PepsiCo Positive – Portsmouth explains that people and the planet are at the heart of this strategy, and it is the essence of PepsiCo company culture.

At UNLEASH World 2024, Portsmouth will be taking to the Strategic Talent stage to talk about harnessing the synergy between people, purpose and the planet, and “how we are thinking about the entire employee experience, end to end”.

Ahead of the show, UNLEASH sat down with Portsmouth to get a sneak peek into PepsiCo’s success in this area, and to find out why she is excited to attend (and speak at) her first UNLEASH event.

Providing meaningful work at PepsiCo

“Today, the average life expectancy is approximately 700,000 hours. We spend 90,000 at work. This is often more than we sleep, and more than we spend with our loved ones,” shares Portsmouth.

This is why companies need to support employees in finding their purpose and meaning at work – “in today’s word, people choose to give us their time. We need to understand how we can make it as meaningful as possible, and then go ahead and do it”.

PepsiCo, therefore, invests in the growth and development of its 132,000 associates (what it calls its employees) globally.

From a picker in Poland who is now second in command for the country’s logistics operation, to a receptionist who is now head of a plan in the UK, we’re creating an environment where people can thrive, learn and grow,” adds Portsmouth.

The global food and drinks giant has worked to democratize professional development – “this empowers our associates to build skills whilst in their current roles, to prepare them for the future and realize their aspirations”, she notes.

PepsiCo on providing more than just a job

While career development is a core part of creating purpose at work, when PepsiCo talks about social impact, it also focusing on having a positive influence on the wider community.

Employing 132,000 people worldwide – and 40,000 in Europe – means the company has “a huge ripple effect on people’s lives, and we take this very seriously”.

Dannii Portsmouth, CPO, PepsiCo Europe.

The ultimate aim to ensuring that the global food and drinks giant “provides more than just a job”.

This is why we’re supporting our employees beyond the day job, with opportunities to have greater purpose and build positive impact outside of the organization,” notes Portsmouth.

This comes to life through the employer’s volunteering program, One Smile at a Time, the PepsiCo Foundation and its multiple non-profit partnerships.

In 2023, PepsiCo teams organization 1,730 volunteers, and across Europe there are 40 so-called ‘Green Teams’ that are actively involved in volunteering projects.

One PepsiCo Foundation example that stands out to Portsmouth is the work to support the livelihoods of female farmers and rural communities in partnership with FADEMUR.

PepsiCo is also using AI to support the farmers it works with; “by giving these farmers access to technology and more relevant data points and insights, we are helping to support their crops being grown in a more sustainable way”.

A noteworthy non-profit partnership for PepsiCo is its work with the Tent Partnership for Refugees. The pair have worked together since 2021; specifically in Europe, PepsiCo has committed to mentor 50 refugee women by 2025, as well as train and hire 500 refugees by 2026.

“I am pleased to say that in Northern Europe we hired 108 people so far, giving them meaningful opportunities, and we plan to continue investing” and pushing into Southwest Europe and Poland.

For PepsiCo, these societal initiatives are not just the right thing to do, they “help us to attract and retain our people for the long term, which then has an immeasurable impact on the company,” notes Portsmouth.

Also, by getting employees out of their routine and out in the community “can foster innovation”. “They encourage new ways of thinking and operating amongst our colleagues. This creates a competitive advantage and position as a thought leader in its industry”.

Every step forward that we take is because of our people, they are our secret ingredient”, concludes Portsmouth.

Dannii Portsmouth at UNLEASH World 2024

Want to find out even more about the link between purpose, development and engagement at PepsiCo?

You’re in luck! Portsmouth is going to be speaking this October at UNLEASH World 2024.

She is “very excited and honored to be there”; “What I’m looking forward to most is being surrounded by so many talented experts in the HR space with totally different paths and perspectives”.

In the morning of Wednesday 16 October, Portsmouth’s session will share PepsiCo’s secrets to success, as well as her top tips on how other companies can follow suit and create truly empowering workplaces.

It’s not too late to join us in Paris – you can grab a pass here!