Information for Pepsico Shareholders Regarding our 2016 Shareholder Proposal

APRIL 7, 2016: Trillium Asset Management and The Sustainability Group of Loring, Wolcott & Coolidge, along with Green Century Funds, have published a letter to shareholders of PepsiCo, Inc. (NYSE: PEP) urging them to vote in favor of our Pollinator Protection proposal, which appears as item # 6 on the company’s 2016 proxy card. Shareholders will vote on the proposal at the Pepsico’s annual meeting, which takes place on May 4, 2016.
The use of neonicotinoids (neonics), a class of insecticide linked to dangerous declines in pollinators and other beneficial organisms, is a growing public concern. Multi-year double digit declines in pollinators in the United States and Europe pose risks to our food system. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, “bee-pollinated commodities account for $20 billion in annual United States agricultural production and $217 billion worldwide.”
More than 90 percent of corn and 30 – 40 percent of soybeans planted in the United States are pre-treated with neonics, even as questions about the benefits of neonics on crop yields are being raised.  Pepsico is a major purchaser of corn, oats and potatoes — crops routinely pre-treated with neonics.
Shareholders are requesting that:
“…within six months of the 2016 annual meeting, the Board publish a report, at reasonable expense and omitting proprietary information on the Company’s options to minimize impacts on pollinators of neonics in its supply chain.”
You can read more about our rationale for a “Yes” vote by clicking here.

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For more information: Randy Rice, Trillium Asset Management, rrice@trilliuminvest.com, 617-515-6889
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