Sharpton Threatens Boycott Over PepsiCo’s Retreat from DEI Commitments
In a letter addressed to PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta, Sharpton expressed deep concern about the company's decision to remove DEI hiring and retention goals and scale back partnerships with minority-led organizations.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Rev. Al Sharpton is challenging PepsiCo over its apparent reversal of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, warning the global beverage corporation that failure to engage with him could lead to a national boycott.
In a letter addressed to PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta, Sharpton expressed deep concern about the company's decision to remove DEI hiring and retention goals and scale back partnerships with minority-led organizations. He described the move as a “retreat from principle” in the face of growing political pressure.
“You have walked away from equity,” Sharpton wrote. “That legacy is now in jeopardy.”
PepsiCo, once celebrated for hiring Black marketing executives in the 1940s and 1950s—a move that cemented its early popularity among Black consumers—is now being accused of turning its back on that legacy.
The timing of PepsiCo’s policy shift comes amid a broader national rollback of DEI programs, spurred in part by renewed political attacks on racial equity from former President Donald Trump and conservative figures. Companies such as Walmart and Target have made similar moves, often while continuing to feature Black models in advertisements—a contradiction Sharpton and others have flagged as performative.
Meanwhile, Coca-Cola has doubled down on its DEI efforts. In its latest annual report, the company warned that eliminating inclusive policies could negatively affect innovation, collaboration, and overall business performance.
Sharpton, founder and president of the National Action Network (NAN), has given PepsiCo a three-week deadline to meet with him before NAN publicly launches a boycott campaign. The organization is expected to name the first company to face economic pressure for abandoning DEI commitments.
“On Saturday, we will send a message to those who abandoned us that we will abandon them,” Sharpton said, referencing the growing discontent among Black consumers who have historically wielded significant market power.
The challenge comes amid additional scrutiny from right-wing influencers, including political commentator Robby Starbuck, who claimed credit for pressuring PepsiCo and challenged Sharpton to a public debate over the merits of DEI.
Despite the growing backlash, Sharpton remains steadfast. “We will not be silent while corporations retreat in the face of bigotry and abandon the values they once championed,” he stated.
PepsiCo has yet to respond publicly to the ultimatum.
