Community Relations

PepsiCo has taken a variety of different steps in the realm of community relations. Since the corporation realizes the important role that helping the community takes in the success of a business, they formed the PepsiCo Foundation in 1962. Today this foundation works with public, private and civil organizations in order to improve the fundamental problems and concerns throughout the community. While today the foundation is influential on a global level, that is not how the foundation started out. The primary purpose of this foundation was to promote health and wellness within Pepsi. As time continued, the company spread its focus to funding fitness education for youth. In 1998, the PepsiCo Foundation was the first corporation to become a sponsor of the YMCA of the USA. Since the program started, PepsiCo and their foundation have funded numerous programs on the importance of active lifestyles and making smart dietary choices. Promoting nutrition and physical activity throughout the community gives Pepsi a good name since it shows that the business is concerned about their customers and wants to give back.

While nutrition and physical activity was extremely important causes to support, in recent years PepsiCo Foundation has changed its community relations practices in order to reflect the needs of underprivileged populations. The foundation donates to areas in need of health, environmental and educational assistance. The health goals of the community relations department include protecting and providing nutritious foods, improving complete health and bettering nutrition. As there have been recent environmental crises, the PepsiCo Foundation looks to protect and improve existing water sources, along with sustaining agriculture. The third area which Pepsi uses in its community relations practicing is improving education and women’s empowerment.

PepsiCo now focuses on the global community instead of just the national level, with a total $27.9 million being contributed to charitable causes in 2009. Recent disasters have also encouraged the PepsiCo Foundation to donate to response assistance. Different disasters which PepsiCo has been able to assist during include the Haiti earthquake, Asia flooding and China earthquake. While donating to these different causes is extremely helpful for those in need, it also provides Pepsi with a better reputation since many people respect the contributions made by the organization.