In 2007 PepsiCo's Global Chief Executive, Indra Nooyi, met with the UK Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, and committed to help with the Millennium Development Goal 1: to Eradicate Poverty and Hunger by 2015.

Following the meeting, the Business Call to Action was launched by the Prime Minister and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to encourage the private sector to develop business ideas that are commercially viable while helping to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. PepsiCo was one of the first companies to join the Partnership and has committed to its shared goal of investing to end poverty.

Over the last year PepsiCo's commitment has become a catalyst for an emerging global company strategy to provide affordable nutrition to under-served communities in the developing world. These actions will bring hope to thousands of families by providing tangible solutions to reducing hunger and chronic malnutrition.

As part of this commitment, our expertise in R&D, distribution and marketing has been focused on developing new fortified foods and drinks that will be nutritious, affordable and accessible to the target communities. We are currently piloting programmes in South Africa, India, Nigeria, and Mexico to develop and deliver a sustainable solution to malnutrition in these areas. Each pilot project includes a clinical study focused on improving the nutrition of children, adolescent girls or pregnant women. Following the studies and consumer research we hope the pilots will serve as a pathfinder project to be rolled into a scalable international programme.

PepsiCo's work was showcased to members of the Business Call to Action last week at a breakfast meeting at the World Economic Forum held to celebrate the first anniversary of the Partnership. For further details on the meeting, please click here.