Snapshot on PepsiCo @ COP26
It’s always telling when a CEO gives an interview, it has the ability to cut through the paperwork of the annual reports, sustainability statements and shareholder commitments, hearing first-hand what’s on their mind?
In this snapshot we share PepsiCo’s CEO, Ramon Laguarta’s, interview with CNBC at COP 26 last week. PepsiCo are driving the change towards a more sustainable world on multiple fronts and it’s great to see the big companies making commitments so openly to shareholders.
“If I can get my consumers to prefer my brands because I am somehow more environmentally friendly, and I can convince them that that’s the way they want to live their lives and make their choices, I am going to be very successful. Growth will be my reward for shareholders” PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta, Nov 2021, COP26
So what’s on Ramon Laguarta’s mind;
‘A purposeful, sustainable strategy is good for business. It will help PepsiCo mitigate risks and drive growth’
Ramon says; PepsiCo is first and foremost, in the business of agriculture, working closely with suppliers and their farmer networks, globally.
It stands to reason that any food or beverage business needs to get closer to their supply chain, especially under the threat of a climate emergency. To have a food & beverage giant prepared to champion the farming community so openly is good news for the environment and for consumers, who are looking deeper into the provenance behind the products they consume.
It will be interesting to see if consumer perception changes towards their brands over the coming years. PepsiCo as a farmer first champion in the eyes of consumers, that would be a proud moment for Ramon and could drive the growth he is promising shareholders.
The 8 things PepsiCo’s CEO chose to talk about:
- Net zero by 2040 – cutting emission.
- Securing their raw materials and improving agricultural practice.
- Good water management.
- Sustainability as the driver of consumer growth.
- Move away from plastics.
- A green powered fleet with Tesla (and others).
- Pricing in carbon.
- Inset before offset, help their farmers deliver carbon sequestration.