December 7, 2020

WE20, the World’s Largest Conference for Women Engineers, brought together more than 18,000 people from around the globe to celebrate and promote the inclusion of women in the engineering profession. Our own R&D and Supply Chain colleagues were not only attendees this year at the virtual conference, but also speakers and award winners.

Here are four ways the women of PepsiCo have inspired their peers at WE20:

1. The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) awarded four PepsiCo R&D individuals and one team for their significant contributions to the STEM community and the advancement of women in engineering.
 

2. In a “Become Savvy about Business Savvy” panel, R&D and Supply Chain leaders Lindsay Bridenbaker, Crea Lavin, Deepali Palta and Annette Plieninger with moderator Amy Huchthausen discussed why developing business acumen is crucial for making sound business decisions and advancing to senior-level positions.

"Seek out opportunities to work on cross-functional teams to learn other parts of the business and set up weekly or daily alerts to stay informed with what’s happening in your industry." - Lindsay Bridenbaker

"Try to learn as much as you can about your own organization and understand how your company makes money. Leverage your network and talk to your peers in other parts of the organization." - Annette Plieninger
 

3. We continue to Raise the Bar on Talent and Diversity with almost 1,000 potential candidates stopping by PepsiCo’s virtual booth at the WE20 Career Fair.
 

4. In a keynote, Laura Maxwell, Senior Vice President Supply Chain, PepsiCo Foods North America, offered valuable advice about taking risks, practicing curiosity and challenging stereotypes. “Let the little signs of doubt be the fuel to drive you forward,” she advised.