A Space to Be You: How inclusion and culture at PepsiCo are powering careers

For James, Zone Sales Director for PepsiCo Foods Canada, inclusion starts with leadership, trust, and a culture that empowers people to act as owners. It’s what allowed him to turn his own career journey into a new pathway for others — and help open doors for student athletes with different skill sets and from different backgrounds from across Canada.

Leading with People at the Heart at PepsiCo

Ask James what he loves most about his job, and the answer comes easily: “What I love most about my job is that I get the honor of leading teams — leading people.”

In his role, James leads sales teams across Southwest Ontario, building strategy, connecting with customers, and helping deliver growth in the market. But for him, leadership has always been about more than performance metrics. It’s about developing people, creating opportunity, and watching others grow.

That people-first mindset is deeply connected to PepsiCo’s culture — one that encourages associates to bring their full selves to work and to think beyond traditional paths.

Turning Lived Experience Into Inclusive Opportunity

Before joining PepsiCo, James was a professional basketball player. When his playing career ended, he found himself facing an uncertain question that many athletes — and early-career professionals — experience. “When I was done playing professional basketball, I didn’t know what to do.”

What he did know was that the skills he developed as an athlete — discipline, resilience, teamwork, leadership — were the same skills that helped him succeed in his corporate career. And he realized there were many more people like him who simply needed a bridge into opportunity. “There is all this talent out there,” James says.

After joining PepsiCo, James turned that belief into action. He created an initiative focused on recruiting student athletes and preparing them for careers in Sales and Supply Chain. By building partnerships with coaches, athletic directors, and community networks, he helped open a new talent pipeline into the organization.

The impact has been real and measurable.

“We’ve brought in over fifty student athletes through these great partnerships,” James says. “Some have really progressed into leadership roles and been part of our DSL designate program. These young adults are rocking. They’re proving me right.”

For James, the success of the program goes beyond numbers. It’s about seeing people thrive — and knowing that access to opportunity can change the trajectory of someone’s career.

A Culture That Makes Inclusion Possible

James is quick to point out that this work didn’t happen in isolation. It was enabled by a culture that values trust, inclusion, and leadership at every level. “What I love about PepsiCo’s culture is that it allows us to be a little bit fearless and take risks — and feel safe doing that,” he says.

At PepsiCo, leaders are encouraged to take calculated risks, stretch boundaries, and bring ideas to life — with the support of their teams and leaders. That sense of ownership is what allowed James to move from idea to action.

That culture of trust and collaboration is also what fuels PepsiCo’s mindset — bringing teams together across roles, functions, and perspectives to drive growth and impact.

Smile at What’s Next

By leading with empathy, acting with ownership, and believing in the potential of others, James is helping shape a PepsiCo where people from all backgrounds can find space to be themselves — and grow.