PepsiCo shareholders to vote on AIDS resolution

Shareholders of PepsiCo will vote for a second time on May 5 on a resolution that calls on the company to examine its policies related to the global AIDS pandemic. The resolution, introduced by religious shareholders, urges the company to report on how it plans to deal with the business and employee impact of the disease worldwide, including in countries with high HIV infection rates that have been identified by PepsiCo as emerging markets for its products. The measure was first introduced at the 2003 shareholder meeting, where it failed to pass but gained enough votes to be put on the ballot at this year's meeting. PepsiCo's board of directors opposes the measure. In March, Coca-Cola's board of directors supported a similar resolution at that beverage company's shareholder meeting.