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  • August 2009
  • Case
  • HBS Case Collection

Meeting the Diversity Challenge at PepsiCo: The Steve Reinemund Era

By: David A. Thomas and Stephanie Creary
  • Format:Print
  • | Pages:24
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Abstract

This case profiles PepsiCo's diversity journey under the leadership of former chairman and CEO Steve Reinemund who instituted diversity as one of the company's strategic imperatives. It demonstrates the ways in which Reinemund partnered with his leadership team and employees throughout the organization to make diversity a key factor in PepsiCo's culture and performance. It also reveals how, regardless of the success, PepsiCo employees were openly speculating what it would mean for the diversity strategy that Reinemund would be turning the helm of PepsiCo over to Indra Nooyi, a 50-year old Indian-born woman, who would need to find her own voice and approach to leading the company and its diversity efforts.

Keywords

Diversity; Leadership; Growth and Development Strategy; Organizational Culture; Performance Effectiveness; Business and Stakeholder Relations; Food and Beverage Industry; United States

Citation

Thomas, David A., and Stephanie Creary. "Meeting the Diversity Challenge at PepsiCo: The Steve Reinemund Era." Harvard Business School Case 410-024, August 2009.
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About The Author

David A. Thomas

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More from the Authors

    • November–December 2020
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    Getting Serious About Diversity: Enough Already with the Business Case

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    • 2019
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    Race, Work, and Leadership: New Perspectives on the Black Experience

    By: Laura Morgan Roberts, Anthony J. Mayo and David A. Thomas
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    Beating the Odds: Leadership Lessons from Senior African-American Women

    By: Laura Morgan Roberts, Anthony Mayo, Robin Ely and David Thomas
More from the Authors
  • Getting Serious About Diversity: Enough Already with the Business Case By: Robin Ely and David A. Thomas
  • Race, Work, and Leadership: New Perspectives on the Black Experience By: Laura Morgan Roberts, Anthony J. Mayo and David A. Thomas
  • Beating the Odds: Leadership Lessons from Senior African-American Women By: Laura Morgan Roberts, Anthony Mayo, Robin Ely and David Thomas
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