Growing up in Madras, India, Indra Nooyi had always dreamed of living in the United States. It started when she came to the U.S. to earn her M.B.A. from Yale in 1978. She joined PepsiCo in 1994. In 2006 Nooyi became CEO of PepsiCo and has since led the mega brand that is in nearly 200 countries. Her legacy is that of compas­sion with an eye on the bottom line. Her motto: Performance with purpose. She shares her vision by saying, “We bring together what is good for business with what is good for the world.” How has she built the Pillar of Compassion that has changed the bottom line?

• When Nooyi was awarded the CEO position in a race with a long-time colleague, she immediately flew out to meet the colleague and asked what she could do to keep him. She nearly matched her salary, among other things, and a great team was born.
• Nooyi made a commitment to move away from unhealthy food and drinks. Examples in the works are high-fiber oatmeal and low-calorie Gatorade. According to Michael Useem, “By 2010, Nooyi has pledged, half of Pepsi’s US revenue will come from healthful foods.”
• Nooyi has championed moves toward renewable energy and has campaigned against obesity.

 What has happened because of decisions made by the lady known as the “Caring CEO”? Profits have soared. And so has influence and impact of the $39 billion PepsiCo.

PepsiCo., Indra Nooyi, trusted company, Trust in Business, Consumer Trust, consistency, David Horsager, The Trust Edge