PepsiCo, the global food and beverage company, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Dubai’s International Humanitarian City (IHC), founded by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, and chaired by Her Royal Highness Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein. The MoU will see the two organizations work together to support needy communities around the world.

The MoU was signed at City Walk in Dubai by Giuseppe Saba, Chief Executive Officer, IHC, and Krista Pilot, Vice President, Corporate Affairs – Asia, Middle East & North Africa, PepsiCo, on the auspicious occasion of World Humanitarian Day, in the presence of senior officials from both organizations.

As part of the cooperative efforts, PepsiCo will contribute to the Humanitarian Logistics Databank, a global dashboard of emergency aid supplies. This databank will enable supplies to be quickly and efficiently mobilized in the instance of humanitarian disasters,

to enhance emergency preparedness and response. The project is in collaboration with the World Food Program (WFP), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), and other global aid organizations.

Speaking of the partnership between IHC and PepsiCo, Giuseppe Saba said: “The support of companies such as PepsiCo goes a long way towards making a difference to communities that need aid. Typically, during times of emergency, a government or relief agency will request the type of help, equipment, goods and so on that they require from various governments. With the Humanitarian Logistics Databank, we are able to turn a long and slow process into one that is more streamlined, thereby enabling aid to reach the people in need faster.”

The Humanitarian Logistics Databank will provide humanitarian actors, including international organisations and government entities, with access to information such as what types of aid stock is available, and where they can get it from, allowing them to connect directly with supplies they require. This will facilitate faster delivery of relief goods.

On the role PepsiCo will play, Krista Pilot said: “PepsiCo is committed to Performance with Purpose, our strategy to do well by doing good. We are proud to be a part of this visionary initiative which will reach men, women and children around the world in crisis. This partnership with International Humanitarian City will build on the disaster relief and development aid that PepsiCo has donated to communities in need. By supporting the Humanitarian Logistics Databank, we will enable faster access to food, shelter and first aid supplies needed by disaster-stricken countries. Additionally, our partnership will enable us to bring our resources and expertise to support other critical IHC projects in the future.”