At the HR Asia Awards 2026, Suntory PepsiCo Vietnam was recognized as "Best Companies to Work for in Asia" for the fourth consecutive year, along with four other awards. Nguyen Hieu Truong An, Senior Vice President of Human Resources at Suntory PepsiCo Vietnam, stated that this achievement is linked to a long-term investment strategy in people, aimed at building a flexible and future-ready workforce.

This approach is evident throughout the employee experience journey, from fostering a positive work environment, developing capabilities, nurturing a diverse and inclusive culture, to leveraging technology. The company focuses on meeting the varied needs of different employee groups, including those working at factories, in offices, frontline staff, management levels, and their families.

The company aims to provide conditions for each individual to maximize their potential, while also forming a collective capable of adapting and innovating amidst a continuously evolving market.

Nguyen Hieu Truong An (center) with the Suntory PepsiCo Vietnam team receiving the HRAA2026 award. Photo: Suntory PepsiCo Vietnam

At this year's HR Asia Awards, the company also received the People Transformation Award, a category recognizing human resource transformation and development activities.

Instead of limiting training to traditional classroom settings, the company develops various learning formats: online courses, real-world projects, internal knowledge sharing, mentoring, coaching, and learning communities.

This approach allows employees to actively choose content and methods suitable for their development needs. New knowledge is also encouraged to be applied directly to work, ensuring that training not only serves personal growth but also supports team operations.

According to a company representative, continuous learning is transforming from a standalone training activity into an organizational capability. This is also one of the factors helping the workforce adapt to changes in the market, technology, and working methods.

Families of Suntory PepsiCo employees are invited to visit the factory. Photo: Suntory PepsiCo Vietnam

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) serve as another pillar in Suntory PepsiCo Vietnam's human resources strategy. Rather than implementing DEI as separate activities, the company integrates it into leadership processes, talent development, and daily employee experience.

A DEI Committee was established to connect diverse perspectives within the organization and propose improvements to the work environment. Concurrently, inclusive leadership programs are implemented to help management teams recognize workforce diversity, embrace different viewpoints, and create more development opportunities for employees.

Since 2024, the company has implemented a DEI Learning Journey with topics such as unconscious bias, emotional intelligence in the workplace, and HBDI. To date, the program has organized 34 classes, attracting over 1,000 participants.

DEI is also reflected in the structure and succession planning for human resources. According to data from Suntory PepsiCo Vietnam, women currently hold 52% of senior leadership positions and account for 48,5% of the talent pipeline for leadership roles.

These programs aim to help employees understand diverse perspectives, improve communication and collaboration, and build a more diverse leadership pool in the long term.

Suntory PepsiCo personnel at an internal training session. Photo: Suntory PepsiCo Vietnam

Beyond skill development and DEI, Suntory PepsiCo Vietnam identifies employee experience as part of its sustainable development goals. The company believes that a sustainable work environment is not only linked to environmental commitments or social responsibility but also depends on its ability to create long-term development opportunities for employees.

Specifically, employees are encouraged to provide feedback, learn, and participate in community activities. Some programs extend to employees' families, including inviting families of staff to tour the factory, thereby strengthening the connection between employees and their work environment.

According to Nguyen Hieu Truong An, when employees have the conditions for comprehensive development, the company also has a stronger foundation to adapt to changes and sustain long-term growth.

Following the HR Asia Awards 2026, Suntory PepsiCo Vietnam announced it will continue to focus on four main directions: investing in human development, fostering an inclusive culture, expanding learning opportunities, and applying technology to human resources operations.

The application of technology is expected to enhance work efficiency and help the company build a more flexible organizational model. In parallel with technology, capability development and preparing a talent pipeline remain priorities to meet new labor market demands.

"A sustainably developed team is the foundation for the long-term growth of the business", An said.

(Source: Suntory PepsiCo Vietnam)