Today RAN activists confronted Al Carey, CEO of PepsiCo North America, on the company’s connection to the exploitation of palm oil workers after his keynote address at an exclusive industry conference in Chicago.
Watch this video of RAN activists who infiltrated The Beverage Forum to expose PepsiCo’s palm oil problem:
Mr. Carey, PepsiCo’s 5th largest shareholder, is one of the top executives at PepsiCo and can make a huge difference in the company’s palm oil policy. Other top decision-makers include: the company’s CEO, Ms. Indra Nooyi; Dr. Mehmood Khan, Chair of PepsiCo’s Sustainability Council; and Robert Pohlad, a Board Member and 3rd largest shareholder. These top decision makers can take collective action to move PepsiCo forward on Conflict Palm Oil, but unfortunately they have not taken adequate action yet.
After years of inaction and paper promises, we’ve finally got PepsiCo’s attention. Since the release six months ago of its most recent substandard palm oil policy, nothing has changed on the ground for the communities and workers that continue to feel the real costs of PepsiCo’s demand for cheap Conflict Palm Oil.
Every day that PepsiCo’s top executives sign off on this flawed business model is another day where palm oil workers are exploited, children are working on plantations rather than in school, and ecosystems are destroyed. This must stop.
To end this gross exploitation for cheap snacks we must confront corporate power by taking our demands directly to the top decision makers. Earlier this month we asked you to sign onto an open letter asking PepsiCo CEO Ms. Nooyi to take responsibility and lead the reform of PepsiCo’s supply chain. Today we delivered that same message to another of PepsiCo’s top executives, Al Carey, and next week we will deliver your photo petitions to PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi at the company’s annual shareholder meeting.
Take action to have your message delivered directly to PepsiCo’s CEO at its Annual General Meeting of shareholders on May 4th. With your photo petition, we can bring our message directly to top decision-makers: PepsiCo must take meaningful action to eliminate Conflict Palm Oil and human suffering from its products.
