PepsiCo Inc. Board of Directors
Topic Summary
The year is 2032, and our world’s most abundant commodity is quickly becoming its scarcest resource. Around the world, rivers are running thinner, aquifers retreat deeper underground, and entire cities negotiate daily for enough drinkable water to survive. Throughout this global catastrophe stands one of the world's largest corporations, PepsiCo, the creator of the internationally known and beloved bottled water brand, Aquafina.
For years, Aquafina has reassured customers that its crisp, purified water is sourced responsibly. An assumed truth. But as public water systems start to crack under the pressure of climate change and growing population, people have begun asking questions. Activists say that Aquafina is pulling too much from communities that already struggle with water access. Regulators complain that the company is not clear about where its water actually comes from. Regular customers are trying to figure out whether the phrase “ethically sourced” means anything at all. At the same time, investors want bigger profits even as water becomes harder to secure.
Amid accusations, shortages, and rising global tension, PepsiCo has constructed an emergency cross-functional task force, you. Delegates will step into the roles of executives, environmental officers, regional managers, policy advisors, and public-relation strategists as the corporation fights to preserve its reputation, protect its profit, and avoid becoming the face of global water inequity.
Your mission sounds simple: make sure Aquafina stays ethical and still makes money. In reality, it is anything but simple. You will have to deal with angry communities, governments that want answers, protests, leaks to the press, and the constant demands of a company that wants growth even in a time when water is running out. Every choice you make will set off a reaction somewhere else. The fate of the consumers, ecosystems, and the global market falls upon you.
Qalkidan Aklog is a freshman at Harvard studying Biomedical Engineering with a language citation in Amharic. She is an Ethiopian-American from San Diego, CA and is passionate about making accessible medical care devices and education equity. On campus, Qalkidan serves as the freshman representative for Harvard’s Ethiopian and Eritrean Student Association, a Junior Staffer for the Harvard Model Congress Senate Environment and Public Works team, and an Assistant Director of HMUN Boston General Assemblies. She has over 7 years of Model United Nations experience and has been a delegate, chair, and served on the secretariat. Outside of academics, Qalkidan enjoys listening to Daniel Caesar, taking nature walks, and cooking Ethiopian meals. She loves mentorship and is very excited to be serving as a Director for HMUN Africa.
Malak is a sophomore pursuing a joint concentration in Government and Philosophy. She is from South Carolina but her family is from Morocco. Throughout high school and into college, she has developed a passion for International Relations and its impact on domestic policies. This excitement has led her to get super involved with Model UN at Harvard. She competes on Harvard's Intercollegiate Model United Nations (ICMUN) team on the North American College Circuit. She also serves as Deputy Director of Finance & Logistics for ICMUN, Under-Secretary-General of Finance for HMUN Dubai, and was an (assistant) director at HNMUN Boston 2025.
Outside of MUN, she works as the student manager for the Harvard D1 Women's Lacrosse team and is the Vice President of the Society of Arab Students. She is also involved in the Harvard International Relations Council (IRC), serving as Director of Operations for the Model Security Council, the recruitment branch of the IRC. In her free time, she loves exploring the city, trying new food, sipping on an ice-cold Ginger Ale, and hopping on the Peloton!
She is so beyond thrilled and honored to be part of HMUN Africa and is looking forward to meeting each and every one of you guys in committee and beyond!