Allyson Felix and PepsiCo’s Pure Leaf Partner Up to Empower Women in the Workforce

Pure Leaf, led in partnership with Edelman’s Data and Intelligence arm, DXI, conducted a proprietary study that examined the financial and emotional realities of saying ‘no’ at work. The study revealed that every time a woman says “no” to things like working late or overtime or taking on additional shifts at work, she stands to lose over $1,000 in future earning potential, and the underrepresented minority workforce stands to lose almost 40% more. To help alleviate this undue financial burden on women, Pure Leaf teamed up track and field athlete, Allyson Felix, who in early 2019, famously said no and walked away from a major sponsor while standing up for fair maternity and post-partum rights, and the SeekHer Foundation, to provide 100 women with the short-term ability to say no at work. 

Each grant provides women with $1406 – the maximum amount Pure Leaf’s study uncovered is what a woman loses each time she says no at work. Women can apply for the grants during three application windows (March-May, June-August and September-November). In addition to financial support, applying to the No Grants automatically gives any applicant access to an emotional support community through SeekHer’s Community Care Program. 

The ‘No Grant’ builds on Pure Leaf’s “No is Beautiful” purpose platform. The initiative highlights how the ability to say ‘no’ is in fact a privileged position few women are able to take advantage of – saying ‘no’ comes at a cost. Pure Leaf has pledged $1 million over the next three years to developing initiatives and partnering with likeminded organizations to support women who want to say no and dismantle the barriers standing in their way, and the “No Grants” is the first step. 

The campaign, created in partnership with Edelman, features an impactful hero film narrated by Felix, and produced and directed by the only AICP production company owned by a Black woman, Eleanor Films. 

Additional Study findings:   

- Nearly 3 in 4 women think they’ll experience negative outcomes when saying “no” at work, and 2 in 3 actually do. 

- Of women who said “no” at work, almost 1 in 5 lost out on pay and 1 in 10 were fired. 

- Across the millions of women in the workforce, saying “no” cost women a total of $55.3B over the course of their careers.  

- Guilt is the #1 emotion women experience when saying “no” to work, family, and social tasks and obligations 

- The underrepresented minority (URM) workforce loses almost 40% more for saying “no” than other racial groups 

- Each time a Black woman says “no” in the workplace, she loses over $1,406 in future earning potential 

- Each time a Hispanic woman says “no” in the workplace, she loses $1,403 in future earning potential 

- Each time an Asian woman says “no” in the workplace, she loses $871 in future earning potential 

- Each time a white woman says “no” in the workplace, she loses $731 in future earning potential