Our culture of ethics and integrity relies upon every employee acting ethically and following our Global Code of Conduct.
If you see or hear something you believe is illegal or a violation of our Code of Conduct, Speak Up!
Some of these questions contain links to other resources, some of which are only accessible if logged into PepsiCo’s network.
What does it mean to Speak Up at PepsiCo?
Speaking up at PepsiCo is defined by candid conversations where employees are comfortable:
- Raising issues when faced with ethical dilemmas
- Seeking guidance when a course of action is unclear
- Reporting misconduct or potential violations of our Code or the law without fear of reprisal
Why is it important to report Code violations?
We expect all employees to speak up and report suspected violations of Code of Conduct, our policies or the law. Reporting suspected wrongdoing helps maintain our culture of integrity. It allows PepsiCo to address issues that could harm our reputation and prevent future occurrences of misconduct.
What types of Code violations must be reported?
Every employee has the responsibility to report any matter that violates our Code of Conduct. Examples include:
- Financial, accounting or audit irregularities
- Falsification of documents or records
- Fraud or theft
- Conflicts of interest
- Bribery or corruption
- Discrimination
- Harassment
- Safety or environmental hazards
- Human Rights policy violations
- Misuse of confidential information
- Criminal activity
- Product quality issues
- Food safety risks
- Misuse of IT systems or other Company assets
Individual work related concerns, such as scheduling, pay or co-worker issues, should be reported to your supervisor, next level manager or Human Resources manager.
How can I speak Up and report a Code violation?
There are several channels available for reporting Code of Conduct violations. You can contact any of the following:
- Your direct supervisor or next level manager
- Human Resources representative
- PepsiCo Law Department or Global Compliance and Ethics
- Speak Up hotline, available by phone or by web
What if I am uncomfortable speaking to someone at my location?
If you are uncomfortable approaching your manager or others to raise your concern about a Code of Conduct violation, you should contact PepsiCo’s Speak Up hotline. With Speak Up, you can remain anonymous.
What is the Speak Up Hotline?
Speak Up is a 24-hour ethics hotline operated by an independent third party vendor that provides PepsiCo employees, consumers, business partners and community members with a 24/7, anonymous and confidential means of reporting suspected violations of our Code. Speak Up is accessible anywhere in the world with dedicated toll-free phone lines in over 70 countries in local languages and by web in 28 languages.
How do I contact Speak Up?
From the main page, please select the country in which you are located. The phone number for your location will be displayed. Or, you may choose to file a report online via this portal or scan the QR code on the main page.
Am I protected against retaliation?
Yes. Retaliation against an employee for reporting an issue in good faith is a violation of our Global Code of Conduct and our Global Non-Retaliation Policy. Under these policies, you will be protected from retaliation when, in good faith, you:
- Report what you believe is a violation of our Values, our Code, our polices or the law
- Raise a compliance question or seek guidance about a particular business practice, decision or action
- Cooperate in an investigation of a potential violation
- Report a violation of law to government authorities
How can I recognize retaliation when it occurs?
Retaliation occurs when you experience negative work-related consequences as reprisal for reporting an issue. It can come from your manager or others in your work group, and take many forms, including:
- Termination
- Demotion
- Negative performance evaluation without justification
- Exclusion from meetings and flow of communication
- Use of negative body language
- Show of disrespect in private or at team meetings If you experience any retaliation after speaking up, or witness it occurring, you should report it immediately so the matter can be addressed.
What type of disciplinary action arises from retaliation?
An employee who is found to have engaged in retaliation against any employee, or threatened retaliation, will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action as determined by the company, up to and including termination.
How is my Speak Up report confidential?
The identity of the person making the report, the nature of the report itself, and the name(s) of individuals involved and/or participating in the investigation will be kept confidential and only shared on a limited need-to-know basis as necessary to conduct a full and fair investigation, or as required by law.
Should I be worried about breaching confidentiality by submitting a report?
An obligation of confidentiality regarding the nature of your complaint should not prevent you from reporting misconduct through any of means available to you. This includes reporting violations of law to government authorities.
How is Speak Up anonymous?
When making a report through the Speak Up hotline, you have the option to remain anonymous. Our third party vendor does not use any recorders or other tracking mechanisms for phone or web to determine your identity. However, if you are comfortable identifying yourself it will allow for helpful follow-up with you to gather valuable information to conduct a thorough investigation. Regardless of your decision to remain anonymous, you should provide as much detail as possible about your concerns.
What happens when I contact Speak Up by phone?
When you contact Speak Up by phone, a trained Interview Specialist, employed by the Speak Up vendor, will answer your call. If you speak a language other than English or Spanish, an interpreter will join the call for a three-way conversation.
What type of questions will the Interview Specialist ask?
You will be guided through a series of questions concerning the issue you are reporting, such as: who are the individuals involved; who is responsible for the situation; when did the incident occur; has the incident happened more than once; how do you know of the incident. When you speak to the interview specialist, it is important to provide as much factual information as possible so the matter can be properly addressed or investigated.
Is the process different by Web or Mobile Intake?
When you contact Speak Up by web or use the QR code with your mobile device, you can type your concern in your own words, providing as much detail as possible.
What happens after I contact Speak Up?
All Speak Up reports submitted to the vendor will be initially reviewed and evaluated by the Global Compliance and Ethics Department. Each matter will be assigned to the appropriate party for investigation or follow-up in accordance with internal incident management processes and the
PepsiCo Code of Conduct Escalation Policy. Depending upon the nature of the allegation, the investigation may be conducted by a professional from the Human Resources, Control, Security, Audit, Law, or Global Compliance & Ethics Department or by an outside firm. With respect to Code Violations, Global Compliance & Ethics will provide oversight for consistency of the investigative process, discipline and appropriate corrective actions.
Who has access to my Speak Up report?
Information contained in a Speak Up report, regardless of whether it is anonymous, is only shared on a strict need-to-know basis. The information will be kept confidential, except as needed to conduct a full and fair investigation or comply with law.
How long does it take to resolve a Speak Up matter?
The time to review and investigate each call varies depending upon the nature of the allegation. Some situations take longer to investigate than others. Our goal is to close out average routine cases within 60 days.
Why do I receive a case number?
Each matter reported to the Speak Up hotline is assigned a unique case number that allows you to follow-up and furnish additional information. If you remain anonymous, the case number will allow us to maintain communication with you. If we need more information, we will instruct the Speak Up vendor to ask those questions when you call back using the unique case number.
What can I learn about the progress being made on my case?
When you call back using the unique case number, you may learn that the matter is currently being investigated or that it has been closed. Please understand that we cannot provide specific details on the investigation, such as with whom we have spoken, the outcome or any, disciplinary or other corrective action that has occurred. We restrict this information due to privacy concerns and to preserve the integrity of our investigations.
What if my suspicions of misconduct were not proven to be correct?
It does not matter if your report was shown to be unfounded, or your suspicions did not turn out to be true, provided you made the report in good faith. You will not be retaliated against if you report in good faith what you sincerely believe to be violation of our Code.
How many reports does Speak Up receive each year?
Speak Up is widely used with over 11,000 contacts made in 2023. Check our Speak Up page on Pepsico.com for recent statistics.
Who can I contact with questions?
If you have additional questions about Speak Up, you may contact your local Global Compliance & Ethics representative or the Global Compliance & Ethics SPA mailbox at
PepsiCoComplianceandEthics@PepsiCo.com