By Stacy M. Brown
BlackPressUSA.com Sr Natl Correspondent

Rev. Al Sharpton met with PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta this week following the company’s decision to roll back key diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. The meeting came just weeks after Sharpton warned of a potential boycott in a letter dated April 4, where he condemned PepsiCo’s retreat from its DEI commitments. PepsiCo, whose portfolio includes Pepsi, Gatorade, Doritos, Mountain Dew, and Lay’s, informed employees in February that it would no longer set diversity goals for its managerial ranks or supplier base. The announcement drew swift backlash from civil rights advocates.

“You have walked away from equity,” Sharpton wrote in his letter to Laguarta. “Removing DEI hiring and retention goals and dismantling community partnerships with minority organizations are clear signals that political pressure has outweighed principle.” A spokesperson for PepsiCo did not respond to a request for comment.

“This morning, I and several members of NAN met with PepsiCo Chairman Ramon Laguarta and CEO of PepsiCo North America Steven Williams for more than an hour to discuss our grievances over reports they were rolling back nearly $500 million in DEI commitments. It was a constructive conversation, which PepsiCo agreed to hold within the 21 days we gave them to meet. We agreed to follow up meetings within the next few days. After that continued dialogue, NAN Chairman Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson and I, both former members of the company’s African American Advisory Board, will make a final determination and recommendation to the organization on what we will do around PepsiCo moving forward, as we continue to deal with a broader swath of corporations with whom we will either boycott or buy-cott.”

The National Action Network, which Sharpton founded and leads, has been pressuring major corporations to uphold DEI policies in the face of growing political and legal attacks. Since President Donald Trump’s return to the White House, numerous companies, including Walmart and Target, have scaled back internal programs to increase diversity and address systemic discrimination.

Trump has also eliminated DEI efforts across federal agencies and warned schools to do the same or risk losing federal funding. Sharpton said he plans to press Laguarta for clarity on the company’s DEI commitments and what steps, if any, PepsiCo still intends to take to support equal opportunity in hiring and contracting.

In January, Sharpton launched a “buy-cott” urging consumers to shop at Costco in recognition of its continued investment in DEI, setting a contrast with companies pulling back. “That is the only viable tool that I see at this time, which is why we’ve rewarded those that stood with us,” Sharpton said.