The Drinks Association has announced a major restructuring of its Embrace Difference Council to further advance diversity and inclusion within the drinks industry.
Under the leadership of Sandra Gibbs from Asahi, the Embrace Difference Council aims to educate, inspire, and support member companies in nurturing inclusive practices.
Historically, the Council focused on two key workstreams: Create Difference and See Difference.
The Embrace Difference Council’s new structure marks a significant shift from its two-workstream approach to a comprehensive four-workstream framework, which more effectively addresses the industry's diverse needs.
Gibbs explained that the new Embrace Difference Structure will drive a more comprehensive approach to diversity, equity and inclusion for members of the Drinks Association.
"Using the Council's experience to identify insights and deliver a broader range of education and communications programs, we aim to inspire members to collectively shape a brighter and more inclusive future for the drinks industry and beyond," said Gibbs.
Introducing four new workstreams to drive a brighter future in drinks
- Insights: This workstream, formerly known as See Difference, is led by Sarah Abbott from Lion and focuses on gathering and analysing data to inform diversity strategies and track progress within the industry. Building on the previous five years’ work to refine scorecard collection and distribution, this team will now ensure that collected data is shared alongside current diversity and inclusion trends and focus areas and better leverage the valuable data produced in the annual Diversity & Inclusion Report.
- Gender: Formerly known as Create Difference, this workstream led by Stephanie Shedden from Campari will focus on the importance of driving meaningful change in female representation. The 2024 Diversity & Inclusion report, due in late October, shows that women have held about 33% of leadership roles in the liquor industry for the past six years, highlighting the need for ongoing efforts to promote gender equity.
- Inclusion: Led by James Kelly from Coles Liquor, this new workstream will evolve the former State Chapters to a national model, promoting broader representation and consistent progress across initiatives. It will consist of 2-3 groups that will host both in-person and virtual events to address key issues such as cultural diversity, a multigenerational workforce, and disability.
- Pride: The Pride in Drinks workstream launched two years ago, has significantly contributed to the Embrace Difference Council by raising awareness of the challenges faced by the LGBTQIA+ community and building a strong base of allies. This team will be co-led by Jamila Diamonon from Campari and Ruben Da Silva from CCEP.
The new Embrace Difference Council structure will allow the Drinks Association to enhance our engagement with the liquor industry nationally and provide opportunities to connect and share vital information.
