Pepsi, Autism Service Animals, and Shattered Dreams pt 3

[Editorial note: My other posts talk of ten families that were part of the Animals for Autism program.  This is mostly true – there were ten families that became part of the program sponsored by the Pepsi Refresh Everything project but there were others caught up in this]

Thirteen families entered into a program with high hopes, high energy and expectations of a better life on the other side.  Autism Service Animals can bring that to a family.

Yes, I said thirteen.

We should not forget the first that brought all of our attention to Siberian Snow Babies’ Animals for Autism.  The family that was to receive a free service dog in honor of Autism Awareness Month,were the Johnson’s.  After all, if we had not found that press release we might have missed all this fun.  They have not had any real contact with Lea Kaydus or any other trainer from Animals for Autism.  This pup was the one Animals for Autism had planned from the get-go to donate free-of-charge.  He had been donated to the training program and all expenses should have already been taken into account, even the cost of paying the trainers.  Which makes me wonder – so what has happened to James?

Then shortly after the announcement of the placements to be funded by the Pepsi Refresh Everything Program, our group was joined by the DiRedo family.  Even though their training costs were not covered by the Pepsi grant their pup, Kino, was to be trained alongside all the others.  Whatever happened to Kino?

And then one last family, with funding in place from a generous benefactor.  The requirements were that it would only be given to a program which was a 501c(3) and must be used prior to the end of 2011.  Animals for Autism claimed to be a non-profit on their Facebook page.  People were told time after time from June onward that the all paperwork had been submitted to the IRS and AFA was simply awaiting their final determination.  When the elusive tax ID number was received it was discovered that it had never applied for non-profit status AND that it did not belong to Animals for Autism or Siberian Snow Babies.  The Spencer family not only wasted a lot of time waiting for the “right” dog to be found and the tax ID number in order to utilize there funding; the family is now in the position that they no longer have the funding.  This could have been utilized somewhere else had they been told the truth.

So what happens now?  To be honest, I am not really sure.  I wish there was an answer that I felt truly satisfied all aspects.  What value do you place on the time that families spent waiting because they believed in the organization providing the excuses.  Those excuses were bolstered by the insistence of the grant program that all was well – that all was on schedule and nobody should be worried.  What value do you assign to this?  Global Giving, would it be acceptable to have treated Ms. Indra K. Nooyi in the same manner that you have treated the families who called with concerns?  Were these concerns forwarded to anyone in the leadership.  Have you read the PepsiCo Values and Philosophy?  Maybe they don’t apply to you but I would think that Pepsi would be looking at your actions since their Values and Philosophy are the foundation for every business decision they make which would include your oversight of their Refresh Everything Project.

Taken from the Pepsi Co website here:

Pepsi Co Values and Philosophy

Our Values & Philosophy are a reflection of the socially and environmentally responsible company we aspire to be. They are the foundation for every business decision we make.

Pepsi Co Commitment

We are committed to delivering sustained growth through empowered people acting responsibly and building trust.

What it Means

Responsibility and Trust form the foundation for healthy growth. We hold ourselves both personally and corporately accountable for everything we do. We must earn the confidence others place in us as individuals and as a company. By acting as good stewards of the resources entrusted to us, we strengthen that trust by walking the talk and following through on our commitment to succeeding together.

Pepsi Co Guiding Principles

We uphold our commitment with six guiding principles. [3 of the 6 shown]

We must always strive to:

1.  Care for our customers, our consumers and the world we live in. 
We are driven by the intense, competitive spirit of the marketplace, but we direct this spirit toward solutions that benefit both our company and our constituents. Our success depends on a thorough understanding of our customers, consumers and communities. To foster this spirit of generosity, we go the extra mile to show we care.

3.  Speak with truth and candor. 
We tell the whole story, not just what’s convenient to our individual goals. In addition to being clear, honest and accurate, we are responsible for ensuring our communications are understood.

6.  Respect others and succeed together. 
Our mutual success depends on mutual respect, inside and outside the company. It requires people who are capable of working together as part of a team or informal collaboration. While our company is built on individual excellence, we also recognize the importance and value of teamwork in turning our goals into accomplishments.

All I am asking is that you hold to your values as a company, as individuals, and honor your commitment.  Show the world that even though you may come out with a bit of a black eye you will do so with integrity.