PepsiCo India aims to make 1 million women economically independent in 3 years

Consumer packaged goods firm PepsiCo aims to upskill, educate and make one million women in India employable and economically independent over the next three years. 

The beverage maker hopes to reach this target along with other firms and nonprofits. PepsiCo will design internships and skill-building exercises specifically aimed at bringing in more women to manufacturing, sales, and agriculture-related roles in the fast-moving consumer goods sector.

"About 60% of the workforce is in sales and marketing, and there is little awareness in tier 2 and 3 cities on how to build a career in this section," Pavitra Singh, chief human resources officer, PepsiCo India and South Asia, told Mint. “Over the last 3-4 years, we have upped the number of women in the sales and marketing division from 5-6% to 20%.”

The program, called ‘RevolutioNari–A Revolution for the Nari’, is aimed at empowering 1 million women nationwide, in partnership with a consortium of organizations and spanning 1,000 days, PepsiCo said in a statement.

In the first phase of the programme, PepsiCo India will focus on undergraduate women in multiple disciplines, including science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), and agriculture. 

It will also focus on underprivileged women and women who have completed senior secondary school across 100 cities in India for the programme. 

PepsiCo India said it will introduce training programs, including technical skill-building and internships, specifically designed for women in the manufacturing and sales sectors.

The number of women employed in companies across India nosedived during the pandemic, when work-from-home and the absence of childcare facilities made it tougher for many to keep their jobs. 

Since then, efforts have been made to bring more women back to the organized workforce. According to the latest data from the Period Labour Force Survey, the female unemployment ratio in India decreased from 9.2% in January-March 2023 to 8.5% in January-March this year.

"Through a carefully crafted three-year strategy, we aim to enhance livelihood prospects for women in non-traditional roles across India, advancing progress through partnership with like-minded organizations to drive sustainable development and gender equality in the workforce," said Jagrut Kotecha, chief executive officer, PepsiCo India and South Asia, in a statement.