2026 Impact Awards Winner: PepsiCo Canada

PepsiCo Canada is strengthening local communities through a dual-impact giving strategy that combines financial grants with employee volunteerism. The company’s community investment is driven by two key initiatives: the PepsiCo Foundation Community Impact Awards and the PepsiCo Canada Foundation’s employee-nominated grants program.

Central to this approach is employee empowerment. As food insecurity and affordability challenges rise, PepsiCo recognizes that employees embedded in communities are uniquely positioned to identify credible organizations doing meaningful work.  Associates are encouraged to identify and nominate local charities that align with the company’s core pillars of food insecurity and workforce development. In 2026, these programs directed approximately $335,000 to dozens of organizations across the country. 

The impact is felt in diverse regions through beneficiaries like the University of Guelph Student Food Market in Ontario, where funding helps provide affordable, fresh food to students facing food insecurity. In Western Canada, a grant to The Nick Project enabled the expansion of youth wellness and physical activity programming. Meanwhile, the Peterborough Newcomer Centre received support for career development initiatives, with PepsiCo volunteers providing speed interview mentorship and storytelling sessions to help newcomers build workplace readiness.

Beyond financial support, the 2026 program introduced a volunteering component for the Community Impact Awards. This shift saw 150 volunteers participate in 15 events, deepening the connection between employees and the nonprofits they support. From sorting hampers at local food banks to mentoring youth, the initiatives pair capital with advocacy. 

By leveraging the local knowledge of its workforce, PepsiCo Canada ensures its investments reach credible organizations doing meaningful work. These groups benefit not only from funding, but also from sustained relationships and visibility within their communities through press releases, social media posts and PepsiCo Canada’s ongoing storytelling efforts. 

PepsiCo plans to continue these annual investments, focusing on long-term resilience and fostering a shared commitment to community wellbeing in the areas where its associates live and work.