How PepsiCo is turning workforce diversity into profit
By Adrienne Selko for IndustryWeek
In competitive times, companies need an edge.
For PepsiCo that edge takes the shape of the diversity of its workforce. “Evaluating manufacturing in North America and here at PepsiCo, the supply chain continues to modernize and become more complex,“ explains Jana Gessner, vice president, for EHS at PepsiCo. “Complexity requires a workforce that views situations in a new light. Women’s experiences and thought processes are different.”
One of those differences, that has been widely studied, is the collaborative style of women. “This style leads to very strong strategic partnerships,” says Gessner. Strong partnerships are part of the diverse and inclusive environment that PepsiCo. has carefully cultivated. “We have women plant managers and have brought women into management roles,” says Gessner.
In fact, 29% of the company's supply chain workforce are women. Work is being done to increase that number. Across PepsiCo, there are several internal programs designed for the development and advancement of women in the supply chain, including a program called LIFT, or Leadership Investment For Tomorrow, which connects executive to sponsor high-potential women for development, visibility and career opportunities.
To learn more, read "PepsiCo Bolstering Women in Its Supply Chain" from IndustryWeek.
About the Author
Alexis GajewskiAlexis Gajewski
Senior Content Strategist
Alexis Gajewski is a manufacturing writer and editor with nearly 20 years of experience covering the people, practices, and technologies that keep industrial facilities running. For more than a decade, she served as Senior Content Strategist for Plant Services, creating content for plant managers, engineers, and maintenance professionals on a variety of industrial topics.
During her tenure, Alexis worked to develop the brand’s digital strategy and helped launch and produce Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast. She also created The Lighter Side of Manufacturing, a weekly blog that explored the inventive and sometimes humorous side of the industry.
Alexis co-founded Influential Women in Manufacturing, a recognition program that honored 49 women in its first two years, earned an industry award for Best Product Launch, and received a proclamation from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and a commendation from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth.
She also led newsroom operations and development at a large media company where she set editorial standards, developed training curriculum, and helped support AI adoption for more than 150 editors across 80+ brands spanning manufacturing, industrial processing, automation, and more.
Additionally, Alexis works as a freelance writer and editor, and her areas of interest include continuous improvement, the skilled workforce, and the role of emerging technology on the plant floor.
Connect with Alexis on LinkedIn
