Recognized for Excellence in Every Campus Forward Award Category
PepsiCo received a Campus Forward Award for Excellence in Recruitment Strategies, Tech Innovation, Candidate Experience, DE&I, and Internship Programming.
Receiving an award for each category reflects PepsiCo's unwavering excellence and commitment to providing the best experience for the next generation of talent. PepsiCo invests in innovative recruitment strategies, cutting-edge technology, thoughtful candidate experiences, inclusive recruitment practices, and standout internship programs. See below for the highlights of their strategies in each one of these categories.
Excellence in Recruitment Strategies
PepsiCo implemented source-coded ATS enhancements to improve tracking capabilities for conference attendees and nurture program participants, aiding in DEI ROI measurement and leadership reporting.The company also adopted a school-agnostic approach for four major recruitment demand areas. This reduced in-person recruitment, aligned with PEP+ sustainability goals and reduced carbon footprint, mitigated bias, and diversified the talent pool. Candidate prep sessions ensured preparedness and connectivity, regardless of school affiliation. Teams hosted candidate prep sessions where STAR interviewing was reviewed, prior interns shared perspectives, gave advice, and answered candidate questions.This approach significantly reduced the workload of HR partners by 10,000 hours, minimized business risk, and enabled a small team of 10 to efficiently manage over 2,900 interviews within 3.5 months.
Excellence in Tech Innovation
Until September 2024, PepsiCo's Early Talent team leveraged two internal messaging platforms, creating a disconnect in communication preferences and work styles. Rather than seeking external solutions, the team focused on optimizing existing enterprise technologies to enhance collaboration and productivity. The team made significant strides in maximizing the use of Microsoft Teams, utilizing features like file sharing for remote collaboration, chat for fostering camaraderie, and document storage for easy access and retrieval. Additionally, the team leveraged Viva Engage to connect interns, house critical documents, and build community across PepsiCo's entire Talent Acquisition organization.
Excellence in Candidate Experience
The Early Talent team is dedicated to enhancing the candidate experience, which directly impacts overall brand perception. As part of these efforts, the team hosts preparation sessions for all candidates, regardless of their source. These sessions provide insights into the interview process, including STAR interview techniques, firsthand experiences from past interns, and opportunities to ask questions about specific roles and careers at PepsiCo. By humanizing the selection process, the team aims to alleviate candidate anxiety and provide reassurance, especially in an increasingly technology-driven and impersonal environment.
Excellence in DE&I
PepsiCo strives to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. To work toward this goal, the company partners with organizations like SHPE, MLT, Consortium, NSBE, and HSI Career Collaborative to identify and recruit top talent from underrepresented groups. PepsiCo also offers scholarship programs, such as S.M.I.L.E. and Uplift, to support students from underserved communities. Scholars participate in executive fireside panels and development workshops that demystify the professional workplace, which aid in the transition from campus to career.Programs like Campus to Corporate, a preparatory boot camp for HBCU students, and Kickstart, a virtual Sophomore leadership program, provide professional development opportunities, mentoring, and leadership training to help students succeed in their careers. By investing in these initiatives, PepsiCo aims to create a more equitable and inclusive workplace.
Excellence in Internship Programming
PepsiCo's internship program offers a comprehensive curriculum that prepares interns for full-time careers. Interns are empowered with projects and deliverables that have real-time and lasting impact on the business. Their impacts also contribute to the company's pep+ agenda by developing innovative global solutions, like under-desk pedal-powered electricity generators or VR/AR onboarding training tools. They have opportunities to connect with ERGs, attend executive speaker series, and participate in our Healthy Money financial literacy programs (one of the highest-rated intern events). The program also provides competitive compensation, including relocation support. Interns collaborate through Viva Engage to share updates, swap stories, and celebrate success. The company's strong legacy of developing leaders includes a significant number of global executives who began their careers as early talent hires.
