Suntory Pepsi Vietnam Beverage earns recognition at GovMedia Conference & Awards 2026

The company helped low-income and migrant workers return home for Tết through sponsored journeys.

Suntory Pepsi Vietnam Beverage received an accolade in the Vietnam Social Equity and Inclusion Initiative of the Year - Trade and Industry category at the GovMedia Conference & Awards 2026 for Pepsi CSR 2026 Golden Moments - Bring Tết Home. The programme addressed the cost and financial and emotional barriers that prevent low-income and migrant workers from returning home during Tết, a period centred on family reunion in Vietnam. 

The initiative focused on sponsored journeys for workers, students, and labourers who faced difficulty travelling home for the holiday. It was developed as a long-term social responsibility platform, with support continuing across several years and extending to more beneficiaries in 2026. The programme connected practical travel assistance with a broader effort to recognise workers whose roles are often less visible during national celebrations. Over five years, the programme has enabled more than 30,000 workers to return home through sponsored journeys. In 2026, Pepsi continues this commitment with an additional 4,200 trips whilst extending the platform in the years ahead to reach even more underserved communities.

Suntory Pepsi Vietnam Beverage worked with the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee to identify beneficiaries and coordinate support at a national level. The partnership combined community reach with Pepsi’s financial support and communications channels, helping the programme reach the intended groups whilst keeping the focus on the workers and families involved.

The company also used public storytelling to present the experiences of beneficiaries. The campaign featured workers returning after long periods away, parents reuniting with children, and families gathering for year-end meals. These stories supported the programme’s social inclusion objective by giving attention to communities affected by financial barriers to holiday travel.

The platform also supported Pepsi’s engagement during the Tết period, with the brand reporting stronger social buzz and beverage category visibility from the campaign. Pepsi achieved a Top 2 position in Tết (Lunar New Year) social buzz ranking across all brands and categories, and secured the No.1 position within the beverage category during the Tết (Lunar New Year) period. These outcomes were tied to the public response to beneficiary stories and the relevance of the programme to the holiday period, rather than to a standalone brand activity. 

Mr Bùi Quang Huy, Alternate Member of the Party Central Committee and First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, said, “The ‘Bringing Tết Home’ Festival is a meaningful activity within the ‘Bringing Tết Home’ programme, aimed at spreading the spirit of compassion and solidarity. Through this initiative, union members, students, and young people are encouraged to join hands with the organising committee to prepare thoughtful gifts for more than 4,000 disadvantaged students, young workers, and labourers so they can return home for Tết .”

“Pepsi CSR 2026 Golden Moments – Bring Tết Home” remains part of Suntory Pepsi Vietnam Beverage’s wider social responsibility work, is an enduring platform that will continue to grow in the years ahead, ensuring that more people can return home and experience the meaning of Tết. For Pepsi, true impact lies not only in helping people get home, but in bringing society closer together.

GovMedia Conference & Awards gives recognition to the trends and best practices that transform the public sector in the Asia Pacific. The awards programme promotes excellence and provides a platform for exemplary government initiatives.

The GovMedia Conference & Awards is presented by GovMedia Magazine. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2027 awards programme and be recognised for your organisation's government projects and initiatives, please contact Marni Marco at +(65) 3158 1386 and [email protected].