In the wake of the climate-intensified devastating flooding that has ravaged many parts of Pakistan, PepsiCo and its philanthropic arm, the PepsiCo Foundation, have partnered with humanitarian actors Akhuwat, Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund, and Rizq to deliver 5 million meals to impacted families in more than 20 worst-hit districts nationwide. In addition to this commitment, to further increase the scale of the program and reach more communities with life-saving food assistance, the PepsiCo Foundation has now launched a global employee matching gift program whereby donations from company employees from across the world will be doubled.
Given the unprecedented scale of the humanitarian needs and urgent requirements for a global response to the crisis, the PepsiCo Foundation has committed to providing a 2:1 match for employees who make charitable donations to eligible on-ground humanitarian partners. The program marks a big milestone in PepsiCo’s mission to leverage its global footprint and scale to address the escalating food security crisis as thousands of displaced families across Pakistan continue to face food shortages and need immediate supplies to survive.
“Our team in Pakistan, bottlers, and partners are quickly responding to the needs of the Pakistani communities and our thoughts and prayers are with them. As a company, our people have continued to exhibit great resilience and support to impacted communities across the world, sadly too often over the recent past given the current fragile state of our planet. PepsiCo will continue to show support and solidarity for Pakistanis living under devastating conditions during these difficult times through this global effort,” explained Eugene Willemsen, Chief Executive Officer at PepsiCo AMESA region.
The global employee matching gift program supports PepsiCo employees’ personal philanthropy and charitable giving with an aspiration to play their part in helping more communities and enhancing their resilience. The program diligently draws on PepsiCo’s people, partners, and resources to maximize efforts and enable the company to expand its flood relief efforts for ensuring the country is more food secure during the crisis.
“The current humanitarian crisis is impacting millions, leaving many without sufficient food supplies. Together with our partners on the ground, we are maximizing food distribution to people across remote geographies in all four provinces,” said Furqan Ahmed Syed, CEO of PepsiCo Pakistan and Afghanistan Business Unit. “We are deeply grateful for the generosity and support that is pouring in from our PepsiCo colleagues from across the world, enabling us to provide access to food for the most impacted communities.”
PepsiCo and the PepsiCo Foundation have a long-standing history of responding to humanitarian needs in Pakistan. During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, PepsiCo distributed millions of meals through its global Food for Good platform, totaling more than the US $1.4 million to alleviate the pandemic-induced devastation that left communities in need of essential food supplies.
