Australian Vintage Limited has been awarded the Most Improved Gender Equity Award, and was recognised at the Drinks Association’s International Women’s Day celebrations on Tuesday.
Lion’s Customer Solutions Director, Kerry Appathurai presented the award to AVL’s Talent Partner, Anna Kelly who was at the lunch.
AVL’s People & Culture Director, Natasha Cahill said she is extremely proud that AVL has won the Most Improved Gender Equity award and that it shows how investing in a holistic people strategy with a focus on inclusion really does drive diversity.
“Over the past 2 years, AVL have been on a journey to drive an inclusive and achievement-based culture that allows every employee to bring their whole self to work regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, or background.
“This has involved an investment into our people policies and building up a great foundation for an inclusive culture. I am a true believer that creating an inclusive culture where employees feel safe and empowered will in turn, drive diversity,” she said.
In 2020, AVL implemented changes to its gender equity policy using the Embrace Difference Scorecard and Toolkit as its starting point.
Australian Vintage Limited’s first step to improving gender equity was to create an inclusive culture which would then drive an increase in gender diversity. Since then, the organisation has implemented gender diversity targets, linked diversity and engagement KPIs to bonus outcomes, supported senior high potential female employees to improve their engagement within the workplace, improved AVL’s retention of talent and supported the participation of women in the Drinks Association’s Inclusive Leadership Program for their professional development.
AVL has also introduced paid parental leave for primary and secondary carers, enhanced its flexible working policy and implemented EAP and mental health policy to support the wellbeing of its employees.
The board, CEO and executive team have all participated in workshops to understand their own behaviours, unconscious biases and to consider how they can work to be more inclusive and constructive in developing a more equitable workplace. Inclusivity is now embedded into the foundational values of the organisation.
Other finalists for the 2021 Most Improved Gender Equity awards were Brown-Forman and Pernod Ricard.
AVL also won the Supply Chain Management award at the Australian Drinks Awards 2021, announced last August and determined in accordance with the annual Advantage Trade Engagement Program.