PepsiCo Australia has extended its partnership with Indigenous non-profit, Jawun for a further three years. Funding from the PepsiCo Foundation, PepsiCo’s philanthropic arm, is helping the Australian business to continue to support Indigenous communities.

Jawun is an innovative non-profit, partnering with Indigenous community organisations and leaders to achieve locally driven aspirations. Continuing to build connections between PepsiCo and Jawun, the partnership extension will help to continue strengthen Indigenous-led solutions to social issues.

The Jawun partnership model is based on shared learning, enduring relationships and a robust value exchange. PepsiCo Australia has committed to sending employees to North-East Arnhem Land (NEAL) in the Northern Territory and inner Sydney in New South Wales, as part of Jawun’s six-week secondment immersion program.

Jawun matches the skillsets of PepsiCo employees to the needs of Indigenous-led projects, enabling employees to share their expertise and support Indigenous community organisations to achieve their goals.

PepsiCo Foundation president and PepsiCo global head of social impact, C.D. Glin said, “We know that there is great potential possessed by the people and communities that we serve, and it’s crucial that we use our ability to make a difference and help feed this potential. We’re investing in tangible social impact initiatives with the understanding that it takes real collaboration to make real changes – which is why we’re thrilled to extend our partnership with Jawun.  
 
“We recognise that we can support Indigenous communities with our most valuable asset – our people. Our partnership with Jawun provides skill and knowledge transfer opportunities, giving our employees the opportunity to help Indigenous organisations build their capacity while also immersing themselves in the community. This allows employees to give back and bring valuable insights and experiences from local leaders back to PepsiCo so we can meaningfully support our local communities.”

Since 2021, PepsiCo has placed 12 employees into Indigenous organisations in North-East Arnhem Land and Sydney, as part of Jawun’s six-week secondment immersion program, equating to over 2,500 hours of social impact work.

Jawun CEO, Shane Webster said, “For over 20 years, we have worked to create connections between the corporate and philanthropic sectors and leading Indigenous organisations to build their capacity, in order to advance their goals, both social and economic. Our partnership with PepsiCo enables valuable opportunities for learning, cross-sectorial collaboration and leadership development. Additionally, partnerships provide secondees with a deeper connection to Indigenous Australia and the motivation to pass on the lessons and experiences gained within their own networks.”