May 2025 marks 19 years working at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners for Ruben Da Silva (He/him), co-lead of the Embrace Difference Council Pride in Drinks Workstream. For the last eight of those years, Ruben has worked on the liquor side of the business, stepping into his current role of Portfolio Manager - Licensed in April 2021.
Over the last 19 years, Ruben has seen many changes in the industry. In this article, he reflects on the pride journey of the liquor industry and the support and friendship he has gained along the way.
A safe space
A highlight of Ruben’s career is his involvement in the Embrace Difference Council Pride in Drinks workstream, saying he is thankful for the opportunity to connect with others from across the industry.
“I am proud to be part of an industry that is leading this change,” he says. “The amazing people on the team aren’t just colleagues, I consider them to be friends.
“Every single member of the team is a volunteer, taking time out of their busy schedules to actively drive Pride in Drinks forward. Only in our third year, we’re still in our infancy but we’re now really well established in terms of our strategy and planning.”
Not only is Ruben a member of the Pride in Drinks Workstream, he also plays an active role in the Pride@CCEP Employee Resource Group (ERG).
“CCEP encourages employees to join ERGs that they're interested in or passionate about,” he adds. “Pride@CCEP is a safe space where I can be my authentic self and connect with like-minded people.
“Through Pride@CCEP, I play a small part in advocating, embracing and celebrating our differences, including sexual orientation and gender identity. This fosters a sense of belonging among our rainbow community employees.”
Brand support
Over his career, Ruben hasn’t only felt support from CCEP and his pride colleagues. He has also witnessed brands across the industry playing an active role in showing their commitment to inclusivity and respect.
‘It’s amazing to see brands showing their support through campaigns,” he explains. “For example, since the early 1980s, Absolut has supported the LGBTQIA+ community as part of their strong belief that people should be free to love who they choose and express themselves freely.
“In 2024, Johnnie Walker ran the Keep Walking Campaign. This was about helping move us all forward to a world where everyone is accepted, welcomed and celebrated.
“A personal one for me was the 2017 Love Cans campaign by Coca-Cola during the Australian marriage equality debate. Coca-Cola revamped its iconic Kings Cross billboard to say, “We say yes to love”. At night, the Coca-Cola branding changed to emit rainbow-coloured lights. It made me proud that a global brand was so outward in its support of the rainbow community.
“It’s so exciting to see these changes and I look forward to seeing what’s next."