The Australian liquor industry has come together to launch a bold new initiative aimed at creating safer, more inclusive and respectful workplaces. The Respect in Drinks Charter, developed by the Drinks Association’s Embrace Difference Council, was officially launched at two events in Sydney and Melbourne, hosted by Lion and Treasury Wine Estates respectively.
Nineteen of Australia’s leading liquor suppliers have signed on as founding signatories. But as speakers made clear, signing the Charter is just the beginning. Real change, they said, will come from what happens next – in the everyday behaviours, conversations and decisions made across the industry.
Stories that brought the Charter to life
At the heart of both events were candid panel conversations with industry leaders, who shared personal reflections and practical advice on what respectful leadership looks like in action.
In Sydney, Laura Hazelhurst, Head of Customer – Route to Market Transformation at Suntory Oceania, reflected on an experience where a customer dismissed her in a meeting and directed questions to a male colleague instead. “In that moment, it was actually my peer who stepped in and said, ‘You don’t need to talk to me – she’s the decision-maker.’” she recalled. “That simple gesture completely shifted how I experienced that moment. It turned something that could’ve felt isolating into something really powerful.”
Daki Falcon, National Field Sales Manager (Grinders Coffee) at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, shared a story about leading a team member through a discriminatory encounter with a customer. “What gave me the strength to call it out in that moment was knowing my organisation had my back,” he said. “It reinforced how critical it is that our leaders live these values and back their people.”
The Melbourne panel echoed their Sydney peers, agreeing that respectful behaviour is no longer optional – it’s foundational.
“When I started in this industry, you were often rewarded for results, no matter how you got there,” said Sarah Parkes, GM Sales & Marketing, ANZ for Treasury Premium Brands. “That’s changed. You can’t be a great leader without treating people with respect.”
Nigel Parsons, Chief Commercial Officer at Asahi Beverages, reflected on how expectations around professional behaviour have evolved: “There’s an expectation that behaviour in the office versus out of the office is the same now,” he said. “There was always this idea that when you’re out and about, the rules are different. That’s been the biggest shift I’ve seen to align the expectations, no matter whether you’re in a meeting room or at the pub.”
All panellists agreed that the Charter is an important step – but it’s the everyday actions of individuals that will make the biggest impact. “We have to role model the behaviours we want to see,” Laura said. “It’s not just what’s on paper – it’s how we show up every day.”
Respect isn’t just a workplace issue – it’s an industry culture shift
Sarah Abbott, a key figure in the Charter’s development, described the launch as a world first. “This is actually quite a pivotal moment for the drinks industry,” she said. “It’s about putting a line in the sand around how we respect each other and our partners and suppliers.”
Katie Hodgson, Chief of People and Corporate Affairs Officer and Chief of Staff to the CEO at Treasury Wine Estates, welcomed guests to the Melbourne launch event. She echoed Sarah, saying that “respect should be intrinsic in how everyone shows up. It costs nothing to give someone respect, but the cost of not having it is incredibly high. Imagine a world where respect is the default setting – that’s the vision.”
From launch to lasting change
In closing the Melbourne event, James Kelly, Business Category Manager Wine at Coles Liquor, described the Charter as a launchpad for long-term transformation. “This is a starting point,” he said. “It’s not a change we can make overnight. We’re shaping the future of the drinks industry with integrity – and we’re asking everyone here not just to support the Charter, but to embed it into your business, your culture and your conversations.”
With a communications toolkit, training materials and video resources now live, the industry has everything it needs to bring the Respect in Drinks Charter to life. But it will be the daily choices of individuals and teams that determine whether the Charter becomes a living, breathing force for change.
“The real change doesn’t come from signing a document – it comes from action,” implored Sarah. “It comes from all of us living and breathing these commitments.”
Learn more about the Respect in Drinks Charter and what it means for the industry. View the photos from the NSW launch and VIC launch events.