As we watched the deadly conflict in Ukraine unfold with horror and heartache, PepsiCo leaders and colleagues acted quickly to make sure our Ukrainian associates were safe. We then swiftly explored how we could support the significant humanitarian needs of refugees flowing into neighboring countries.
Here are the actions we’ve taken to care for our people and impacted communities:
Taking Care of Our People
At the start of the conflict we had more than 3,100 associates living and working in Ukraine. Roughly half (about 1,600 families) have sheltered in their homes. Close to 30% (about 1,000 families) are staying in Ukraine but moving west, and roughly 20% (about 500 families) have crossed the border into Poland, Romania, or the Czech Republic. Throughout the ongoing conflict, our teams in each country have been working tirelessly to support their colleagues. Here are just a few examples of this heroic work:
In Ukraine, we are doing everything in our power to care for our PepsiCo families remaining in the country. With the movement from Kyiv and other parts towards Western Ukraine, we are providing accommodations and financial support for more than 300 employees and their families. Our warehouse in Lviv served as a safe haven and pit stop for those transitioning to more permanent housing in Western Ukraine or heading towards the Polish border. Around 150 people have used the facility.
In Poland, we transformed our headquarters in Warsaw into The PepsiCo Hotel, offering associates and/or their families accommodation for up to two weeks. More than 150 people (and three dogs), passed through the hotel, many arriving with just one bag in hand. During their stays, our colleagues and their families were provided with hot meals, clothes, shoes, essential toiletries and toys.
In Romania, we have taken over five motels to house 700 people, including 200 families with more than 250 children, the youngest of whom was five days old on arrival. We are providing residents with three meals a day and all necessities. We are also partnering with Cinema City to organize movie nights featuring Ukrainian films and PepsiCo products, helping to create a sense of normalcy and fun. And we joined forces with NGO partners to open a school for displaced children in Bucharest.
In the Czech Republic, our bottler, Mattoni, is graciously housing 70 Ukrainian PepsiCo families in their office, which they have also converted into a hotel called “Mattoni House.”
In addition to our work on behalf of our fellow associates, we are also standing with the approximately 1,200 agricultural workers we support in Ukraine. We have contracted to grow 30,000 metric tons of potatoes in the Lviv and Ternopil regions this year and are committed to supporting our farmers. We are also working with 12 local milk suppliers across 16 farms as part of our dairy business in Ukraine.
This is only a small sample of our efforts. All across Europe, we are rising to this historic challenge.
Providing Humanitarian Aid for Communities
The PepsiCo Foundation is focusing on three key areas of need – Refugees, Food, and Families & Children – by providing a total of $5 million to organizations operating in and around Ukraine. Support through our partners includes the following:
- The UN World Food Programme is providing a lifeline to 3.8 million people by facilitating the delivery of food into Ukraine and assisting refugees crossing the border.
- World Central Kitchen is working with restaurant partners to serve 370,000 hot meals a day to displaced people in eight countries, including Ukraine, as well as transporting food supplies from Poland into Ukraine.
- Save the Children is distributing food, water, cash assistance, psychological support and essentials, as well as providing more than 45 child-friendly spaces for families at border crossing points in Poland, Lithuania, and Romania.
- The Polish Red Cross and World Vision Romania are providing shelter, food, water, and other essential items to refugees from Ukraine.
- The UN Refugee Agency launched #Football4Refugees to raise funds to provide shelter and protection for people forced to flee their homes.
The Foundation also is increasing our impact in partnership with our associates around the world:
- More than 3,800 PepsiCo employees from over 50 countries donated nearly $500,000 through a matching campaign, which the PepsiCo Foundation will match for another contribution of almost $1 million (USD). This funding will benefit Ukraine Foodbank and Caritas Lviv, Moldova Red Cross, Poland Red Cross, Romania Red Cross, Slovakia Red Cross, and Hungary Red Cross.
- Via virtual webinars, our teams also are providing skills, technical assistance, and capabilities to local nonprofits that are responding to the humanitarian crisis. This volunteer work is expected to generate additional donations up to $10,000 through our Give Together grant program.
PepsiCo has donated $1.6 million worth of food, drink, and equipment (such as dairy, water, and fridges) to help support humanitarian relief efforts. We were also able to provide finished goods and raw food, including over 2,000 tons of potatoes worth $560,000 sent to charitable partners.
We are united at PepsiCo in service of our people and communities. Thank you to our colleagues and partners for all you’re doing to bring about a better tomorrow for the communities where we live, work and serve.