This undated photo provided by Heritage Auctions shows the movie character Coraline in her Blue Star Sweater. (AP Photo/Heritage Auctions)
DALLAS (AP) --
The stop-motion animators behind films that include "Coraline" and "The Boxtrolls" will be auctioning puppets, models, props and sets from its archives for the first time.
Dallas-based Heritage Auctions will offer the items from Laika Studios on Feb. 12 in Beverly Hills, California. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to The Art of Elysium, a nonprofit arts organization.
Items going up for auction include a 12-inch-tall puppet of Coraline wearing her star sweater from the 2009 film and the 11-inch-tall puppet of Eggs, the main character from "The Boxtrolls," released last year.
Travis Knight, president and chief executive of Oregon-based Laika, says the company's pleased to open the vaults for fans. He says, "These are beautiful, unique and handcrafted works of art of the highest order."
Pepsi soft drinks in plastic bottles are on sale at a grocery store in New York on Weds., Nov. 15, 2023. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File)
PepsiCo confirmed Friday that it's ending some of its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, even as rival Coca-Cola voiced support for its own inclusion efforts.
In a memo sent to employees, PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta said the company will no longer set goals for minority representation in its managerial roles or supplier base. The company will also align its sponsorships to events and groups that promote business growth, he said.
Laguarta wrote that inclusion remains important to PepsiCo, whose brands include Gatorade, Lay's potato chips, Doritos, Mountain Dew as well as Pepsi. The Purchase, New York-based company's chief diversity officer will transition to a broader role focused on employee engagement, leadership development and ensuring an inclusive culture, he said.
Since President Donald Trump returned to the White House last month, U.S. government agencies, companies and schools have rushed to reevaluate policies and programs they adopted with the goal of reducing discrimination against members of minority groups, women and LGBTQ+ people.
Trump ended DEI programs within the federal government and has warned schools to end DEI programs or risk losing federal money.
PepsiCo's rollback came as Coca-Cola reaffirmed support for its DEI efforts.
In its annual report, Atlanta-based Coke warned that its business could be negatively affected if it is unable to attract employees that reflect its broad range of customers.
"Failure to maintain a corporate culture that fosters innovation, collaboration and inclusion … could disrupt our operations and adversely affect our business and our future success," the company said.
Coca-Cola has set a goal of having women in 50% of its senior leadership roles by... Read More
