PepsiCo boss fires recruiter for failing on diversity
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Posted By: Hija Chang on March 21, 2017 FEATURED Content Daniel Cave HR Grapevine Speaking at a recent conference, PepsiCo’s President Brad Jakeman explained why a hiring bias caused him to a sack a recruiter – CampaignLive reports. The head of the global soft-drink giant recalled firing a recruiter because she brought him just one CV that belonged to a woman, after he had requested a diverse group of candidates be found for a senior hire. Sending the recruiter away, to find a more diverse array of candidates, she brought forward only one further female candidate. Jakeman then fired the recruiter after she claimed there was nothing else she could do. She had not met her remit. Not being able to find a suitable candidate is a common line that recruiters may roll out if they cannot meet the client’s specifications. However, Jakeman believes that employing a diverse workforce isn’t just a social good, its business sense – and he needs recruiters to create a varied pool of candidates to choose from. He said: “It doesn’t make any sense not to lean into diversity, when by definition, the people we serve are incredibly diverse. “We naturally like being around people like us, so there’s unconscious built-in bias at every level of the hiring process. Without diversity initiatives, I would get resumes from—on a good day—90% straight, white men. Certainly 98% men [sic].” Jakeman’s unforgiving stance, against recruiters who aren’t willing to challenge the status quo, is indicative of a President who understands that his company’s diversity is a selling point. He attributes the success of PepsiCo to the diverse employee base, believing that customers are increasingly mindful of the ethos and practises of the companies that make their consumer goods. Indra Noovi, PepsiCo’s Indian-American female CEO, has previously spoken about the need for a good social mix amongst staff, arguing, like Jakeman, that diversity is a business imperative. She said: “If you look at the best grades, they are being [gained] by women. So, if you really want companies to be successful, we have got to draw from the entire pool, not just try to say: 'Hey, we are going to exclude a portion of the population.” If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
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Hija Chang
Management, See Moss Interactive Bellarmine University class of 2021 Member Since January 2011 |
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