<p>July 15 marks the 10th anniversary of World Youth Skills Day. The United Nations-originated holiday celebrates the strategic importance of equipping young people with skills for employment and entrepreneurship. </p>
<p>As Yum! Brands and its franchisees employ over 1 million people (many of them, youth), the world’s largest restaurant company also recognizes how critical it is to invest in their skills and potential. Through partnerships with local organizations around the globe, Yum! employees are helping young people unlock new opportunities and thrive. </p>
<p>One such partnership is with Pizza Hut franchisee Gamma Pizzakraft Lanka, which, with funding from <a href="https://www.yum.com/wps/portal/yumbrands/Yumbrands/impact/people/community-impact" >Yum!’s Unlocking Opportunity Initiative</a>, launched Pizza Hut’s An Equal Slice for Everyone (AESFE). The ten-month blended learning program helps Sri Lankan youth and people with disabilities gain valuable skills and find meaningful employment. In collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education + Department of Social Services and the nonprofit Sevalanka Foundation, instructors teach participants everything from food prep and customer service to soft skills, hygiene and financial literacy. So far, the program has developed 22 vocational training kitchens across the country, training nearly 1,500 students annually. </p>
<p>Because of lack of proper education and opportunity, many of our youth, ages 15 to 24, lack the required training and experience to land and hold a job,” said Yasa Nadaraja, CEO & MD of Gamma Pizzakraft Lanka Pvt Ltd, “Our youth unemployment rate is high — at 19.8% — so this program stands to make a lasting impact by providing youth the opportunity to upskill and pursue a lasting career in the quick service restaurant industry.” </p>
<p>Upon completion, AESFE graduates earn a National Vocational Qualification certification, opening doors to jobs at global quick-service restaurants — including Yum! brands, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell. </p>
<p>In recognition of World Youth Skills Day, the program is continuing its work with its fellow Sri Lankans, proving that every day is a good one to prepare young people for a bright future.</p>
<p><br /></p>
<p>By day, Dia Pouchet is the senior executive assistant supporting Yum! Chief Digital & Technology Officer and Byte by Yum! President Joe Park. In this fast-paced environment where cutting-edge technology, AI and global scale drive innovation to transform Yum!’s restaurant operations and customer experiences, Pouchet keeps things running smoothly behind the scenes. </p>
<p>But when her workday ends, she steps into a different role: content creator, design educator and home styling enthusiast. Through her YouTube channel, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@AtHomeWithDia" >“At Home with Dia,”</a> she offers approachable, elegant design tips that inspire a growing community of thousands of viewers. </p>
<p>Her story reflects Yum!’s people-first culture, one that encourages employees to bring their full, multifaceted selves to work, passions included.</p>
<p><strong>A global foundation in design</strong> </p>
<p>Pouchet’s love of design began with curiosity and creativity. She started almost three decades ago in her home country of Cyprus, styling window displays for holiday shops and booths at the Cyprus International Fair. That early spark led her to pursue an interior decorating degree while living in California in the 1990s. From there, she began taking on small, budget-friendly projects like flipping homes and staging properties for sale while maintaining a full-time job as an executive assistant, developing what she calls a practical, no-fuss approach to making spaces both stylish and functional. </p>
<p>“I was flipping homes before it was trendy,” she laughed. “I had to be creative with both time and money, so it taught me how to make a big impact with limited resources.” </p>
<p>Her life in motion only deepened that passion. Life and family circumstances have moved her 26 times across four continents, and she has absorbed design influences from every stop. “Living in so many countries taught me how to appreciate design that isn’t just pretty, but practical,” she said. “I learned to blend styles and cultural cues in a way that feels elevated but still livable.”</p>
<p><img src="/wps/wcm/connect/yumbrands/aabb17bd-4022-409b-8091-58633b71c3be/1/Vietnam+Office+Campus+Project+%232+-+Break+Room.png?MOD=AJPERES" alt="" title="" style="width: 569px; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto; display: block;" /></p>
<p>That global perspective grew even stronger when she took on a role managing large-scale office buildouts across countries like Vietnam, Bulgaria, China, Costa Rica and across the Mediterranean. “That stretched me, but in the best way,” Pouchet said. “Every project had different teams, time zones and ways of working. I had to figure out how to stay organized, how to communicate across cultures and how to get creative when resources were limited.” The combination of hands-on residential design and commercial styling gave her a broad, adaptable skillset and a global design lens. </p>
<p>Today, her style reflects that journey. She describes her aesthetic as “soft modern with traditional touches,” favoring neutral tones, natural textures and a calming, cohesive flow. Her goal remains the same: to make a refined but approachable space feel like home.</p>
<p><img src="/wps/wcm/connect/yumbrands/aabb17bd-4022-409b-8091-58633b71c3be/2/Home+Staging+Project+%233+-+2024.png?MOD=AJPERES" alt="" title="" style="width: 579px; height: 385px; margin: 0px auto; display: block;" /></p>
<p><strong>Building “At Home with Dia”</strong> </p>
<p>After years working abroad, Pouchet returned to the U.S. in 2019 with a renewed sense of purpose and a desire to share her passion. With a deep love for teaching, she saw YouTube as the ideal platform to reach and inspire others. In 2023, she launched <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@AtHomeWithDia" >“At Home with Dia,”</a> a channel dedicated to elegant, accessible home styling delivered with her signature no-fuss approach. Through actionable how-to videos, interior styling tips and clear explanations of her design principles, Pouchet uses the platform to empower viewers to create beautiful spaces of their own.</p>
<p><img src="/wps/wcm/connect/yumbrands/aabb17bd-4022-409b-8091-58633b71c3be/3/Dia_Instagram.png?MOD=AJPERES" alt="" title="" style="width: 278px; height: 348px; margin: 0px auto; display: block;" /></p>
<p>With no production team and limited gear, she learned as she went, teaching herself how to light, shoot, edit and publish videos solo. “I had to learn a lot of new tricks,” she said. “Filming yourself, styling for the camera and editing is a whole production, and I'm a team of one.”<br /></p>
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<p style="text-align: left;">Her style philosophy resonates with a wide audience, but especially with women who appreciate her grounded, timeless approach. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDOhfS3G9x8" >A holiday decorating video</a> helped her channel take off in late 2024, growing her subscriber count from 1,000 to over 9,000 in just a few weeks. But the momentum didn’t stop there. In June 2025, her video <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bAK9pt3E2o" >“Interior Design Secrets: How I Made My Small Space Look So Much Bigger”</a> went viral with more than 125,000 views, pushing her subscriber count to over 14,000. The channel continues to grow organically, driven by word of mouth and loyal viewer engagement.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5bAK9pt3E2o?si=6t_5eNVQzyE-TwOA" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br /></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW85648208 BCX0" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 11pt; line-height: 20.925px; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW85648208 BCX0" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"></span></span>“The comments are what keep me going,” Pouchet said. “I hear from viewers who’ve never felt confident decorating their own homes, or who say my videos make them feel calm and inspired. That emotional connection means everything.”<span class="EOP SCXW85648208 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"335559738":240,"335559739":240}" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 11pt; line-height: 20.925px; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif;"></span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="/wps/wcm/connect/yumbrands/aabb17bd-4022-409b-8091-58633b71c3be/4/tuxpi.com.1752256236.jpg?MOD=AJPERES" alt="" title="" style="width: 633px; height: 71px; margin: 0px auto; display: block;" /></p>
<p><strong>Balancing both worlds with intention</strong> </p>
<p>Juggling a full-time corporate role and a creative side hustle isn’t easy, but for Pouchet, the duality is energizing. “Being an executive assistant is highly strategic and fast paced,” she explained. “Design taps into the creative side of my brain. Switching between the two is what keeps me balanced.” </p>
<p>The support she’s received at Yum! has made all the difference. Leaders like Joe Park not only encourage Pouchet’s creativity, they celebrate it. “Dia brings her full self to work every day, and that includes her incredible creativity,” said Park. “I’ve always encouraged her to lean into that passion because it’s part of what makes her such a thoughtful, dynamic partner.”</p>
<p>Working on Yum!’s Digital & Technology team has also helped her elevate her creative process. “My work has encouraged me to tap into tools that make content creation just a little bit easier, like SEO-friendly dynamic titles, refining my script writing and even double-checking my tutorial thought process,” she said. “It’s a wonderful thing when design, decorating and creativity work hand-in-hand with technology.” </p>
<p>Balancing the two roles has shown Pouchet that passion projects can be just as fulfilling as professional ones. “I think it’s important for workplaces to make space for the full lives of their employees,” she said. “I feel fortunate to work at a company that encourages us to explore our passions and show up as our whole selves.” </p>
<p>In other words, Pouchet feels right at home at Yum!.</p>
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<p>LOUISVILLE, KY, July 1, 2025 – Today, Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM) published its annual Global Citizenship & Sustainability Report, highlighting progress across the Company’s Good priorities of People, Food and Planet. These pillars help drive Yum!’s Recipe for Good Growth strategy, built on the belief that lasting growth and brand relevance come from being sustainable and responsive to the evolving needs of its employees, franchisees and stakeholders.</p>
<p>“At Yum!, we’re continually focused on building a more resilient business that delivers good growth,” said Yum! Brands CEO David Gibbs. “Using our scale, we’ve been able to develop a responsible supply chain, unlock opportunity for people and communities, and offer a modern menu with a variety of options for consumers around the globe.”</p>
<p>The 2024 report outlines the Company’s approach to its Good Growth strategy and relevant progress across the global system including:</p>
<ul>
<li>Achieving over 89% of Yum!-approved suppliers with Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) Recognized Certification or are part of GFSI Development Programs on the path to certification</li>
<li>Sourcing 94% cage-free eggs (menu items and ingredients) across 25,000 restaurants, including the U.S., Western Europe and other leading markets</li>
<li>Reducing emissions by 25% on an absolute basis for Company-owned restaurants, corporate offices and transportation compared to 2019</li>
<li>Participating in the Petaluma Reusable Cup Project, the first citywide program in the U.S. to offer reusable to-go cups at no cost to customers</li>
<li>Activating more than 45 projects across 15 countries, impacting over 350,000 people, since launching the Unlocking Opportunity Initiative in 2020</li>
</ul>
<p>"We continue to make great headway across our value chain, beginning with the farms from which our food is sourced to running more efficient restaurants and unlocking opportunity in communities across the world,” said Jon Hixson, Yum! Brands Chief Sustainability Officer & Vice President, Government Affairs. “Strong collaboration with franchisees, suppliers and community partners helped further connect and integrate our citizenship and sustainability work across our business in 2024.” </p>
<p>For more details, view the Yum! Brands’ 2024 Global Citizenship & Sustainability Report at www.yum.com/impact.</p>
<p><b>About Yum! Brands, Inc.</b></p>
<p>Yum! Brands, Inc., based in Louisville, Kentucky, and its subsidiaries franchise or operate a system of nearly 61,000 restaurants in more than 155 countries and territories under the company’s concepts – KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and Habit Burger & Grill. The Company's KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut brands are global leaders of the chicken, Mexican-inspired food and pizza categories, respectively. Habit Burger & Grill is a fast casual restaurant concept specializing in made-to-order chargrilled burgers, sandwiches and more. In 2024, Yum! was named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index North America and 3BL’s list of 100 Best Corporate Citizens. In 2025, the Company was recognized among TIME magazine’s list of Best Companies for Future Leaders. In addition, KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut led Entrepreneur's Top Global Franchises 2024 list and were ranked in the first 25 of Entrepreneur’s 2025 Franchise 500, with Taco Bell securing the No. 1 spot in North America for the fifth consecutive year.</p>
Building the world’s most loved, trusted and connected restaurant brands
