Diageo Irish brand homes gain official accreditation as autism-friendly tourist experiences
In this enlightening journey, Eleanore Hutch, Diageo's Digital Content Marketing Manager, alongside Eimear Gallagher and Sarah Luckie, leads a transformative initiative. Inspired by a commitment to inclusivity, the trio spearheaded the creation of sensory-friendly experiences at three iconic Diageo brand homes.
Their combined efforts resulted in official accreditation, marking these immersive experiences accessible to all. Delve into the heart of Diageo's commitment to inclusivity, where personal stories drive change and collaboration fosters success.
What is a brand home?
These iconic establishments invite fans of our most loved brands behind the scenes to engage with Diageo’s rich heritage in a uniquely immersive way. They enable every one of our guests to enjoy an unforgettable experience when they walk through our doors.
Tell us about the scope of this project?
The brand home sensory-friendly initiative arose from Eleanore's commitment to inclusivity - inspired by her sibling who lives with autism. Collaborating with AsIAm, the team worked to make Guinness Storehouse, Roe & Co Distillery, and Smithwick’s Experience Kilkenny autism-friendly. The initiative output included: staff training, visual guides, sensory maps and sensory kits. Specific sensory-friendly hours are also offered across all three sites.
"This collaboration between the Guinness Storehouse, Roe & Co Distillery, Smithwick’s Experience Kilkenny, and AsIAm has the sole purpose of ensuring that autistic and sensory-sensitive individuals can visit with confidence," Eleanore emphasises.
What was the motivating factor behind this project?
Eleanore's personal connection to autism and the desire to make spaces inclusive sparked the idea. Eimear, leading IBH's sustainability team, recognised accessibility as a key focus area aligned with Diageo's society 2030 goals.
"My brother is autistic and taking him places can be challenging. He has certain quirks that many don't understand, and he gets bored easily," Eleanore shares. "This idea has been in my head since I began working at IBH."
What impact has this initiative had?
Excitingly, all three brand homes are officially accredited autism-friendly experiences year-round, and we achieved this by implementing:
- Partaking in staff training
- Visual guides of the buildings both at reception and online
- Sensory maps of the buildings both at reception and online
- Placing ‘sensory hotspot’ warnings at areas that are loud/bright/scented
- Sensory kits are available for any visitor who may need one. These include sunglasses, ear defenders and fidget toys.
This has been a huge success so far. There are staff members at Guinness Storehouse who are themselves autistic or neurodivergent, and they in particular have expressed how great it is to see this kind of permanent, positive structure in place.
“My brother has also been recently diagnosed as neurodivergent. Not only this, but both of my parents are registered intellectual disability nurses. Through them, I have been exposed to various ways different people may react to the environment around them. Being able to create an altered experience that neurodivergent people can enjoy has been incredibly fulfilling” Sarah adds.
How did you collaborate effectively to impact success?
AsIAm is Ireland’s National Autism Charity, and they have certified the likes of the National Gallery, EPIC, and other Irish visitor experiences as autism-friendly attractions. We met with them in February and we knew they would be amazing partners. They visited and audited Guinness Storehouse, Roe & Co Distillery and Smithwick’s Experience Kilkenny, and made a very detailed list of recommendations as to how we could best adapt our spaces for those with autism or other neurodivergencies.
There is no end to the amount of stakeholders across the business that made this happen, including Corporate Relations, I&D, Legal, and Operations teams. Involving everyone, from marketing to visitor experience teams, was vital.
"It really, truly, takes a village!" says Eleanore.
What have been your key learnings throughout the course of this initiative?
"The most important thing we learned is to engage stakeholders early and often. Make sure you engage as many diverse stakeholders as possible," Eleanore highlights.
The team emphasises the importance of engaging stakeholders early to encourage collaborative thinking, and avoid oversights. They also stress the significance of seeking diverse input and direct feedback from the autistic community, to impact the most inclusive results.
Last question, what makes Diageo a special place to build a career?
“No two days are the same working at Diageo – we could be running a shoot in 200-year-old tunnels under the Guinness brewery in Dublin, or working with an amazing group like AsIAm to make our visitor experiences more accessible. Our leadership team – including Andrew Edge, Catherine Toolan, Alan Donnelly and more – are so encouraging and supportive of ideas like this. Alan even nominated us for an award for this initiative and we won!” Eleanore states.
“If you want to see positive changes in the workplace and really make a difference, Diageo will back that all the way!” Eimear adds.
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