Diageo celebrates International Women’s Day around the world

March was a truly inspiring month at Diageo, as the company hosted a variety of global engagements dedicated to International Women’s Day.

This year, Diageo followed the theme #EmbraceEquity, with the ambition of sparking curiosity and conversations about what changes we can all make to incorporate equity into everyday life.

Kicking off with our global launch panel, our individual markets hosted panels, happy hours, and various other engagements, giving all employees the opportunity to join the discussion. From a series of equity-focused panels across LAC, to world-famous chef Monica Galetti sharing personal experiences at our Global HQ in London, this year’s IWD celebrations shone a light on some of the inspiring women across society.

As usual, IWD at Diageo could not have been down without Spirited Women, our incredible Employee Resource Group that works throughout the year to provide women with a platform to thrive and an environment to flourish. The network, which has 14 groups worldwide, shared information and drove awareness of equity throughout the month, and like all our ERGs was instrumental in creating a sense of belonging throughout the month.

Diageo’s IWD celebrations kicked off with a virtual launch panel, with all employees invited to join a 45-minute discussion on the topic #EmbraceEquity. Hosted by our Chief HR Officer, Louise Prashad, the panel saw Diageo’s Chief Executive Ivan Menezes, Non-Executive Director Karen Blackett, and the co-founder of the Diageo-backed incubator Pronghorn, Dia Simms, share personal experiences of how equity has presented itself to them.

Within a video that aired across our internal and external channels, Diageo spoke to several inspirational employees about how equity has presented itself at work and in society. From Aarti Calvin, who has broken barriers in a stereotypically male-dominated industry, to Alia Seraj, whose support of female refugees is shaped by her own experiences, each story was a personal reflection of how equity has helped them and women across their markets achieve opportunities and success.

Spirited Women, our Employer Resource Group that provides women across the company with a platform to thrive, was integral to this year’s IWD celebrations, and hosted several engaging events across our markets. On the 9th of March, the group hosted a fireside chat with several senior colleagues including our President of Europe Soraya Benchikh, with a guest appearance from Monic Galetti, the world-renowned Chef & Restaurateur.

Diageo employees in Ghana engaged in an open discussion around the concept of equity across two sessions at our breweries in Accra and Kumasi. The sessions were run by Esther Cobbah, the founder and CEO of Strategic Communications Africa, and Dr. Gifty Anti, the CEO of GDA Media Ltd and TV host of The Standpoint, encouraging employees to be true champions of Inclusion & Diversity at work, home, and across society.

Diageo North America kicked off its Black Heritage Month engagements in February with an inspirational edition of its Supplier Diversity series ‘Fireside with Founders’, featuring Rikki Kelly, the founder of Ego Tequila. It is the first Black woman-owned tequila brand to originate out of the state of Texas, with the event also leading into North America’s IWD celebrations. The edition was hosted by Ursula Dunn from Pronghorn, the Diageo-backed incubator for Black-owned spirits brands in North America.

On World Water Day (22nd March), Diageo shone a light on its investment in water projects around the globe, which are empowering women and putting them at the heart of their community. Women and girls are disproportionately affected when communities don't have clean Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), but through our partnership with CARE International and WaterAid, we are determined to make a meaningful impact and promote gender equality.

Learn more about how we are building gender equality and community resilience in Kenya.

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I’ve been amazed by how vibrant Diageo’s IWD celebrations have been this year. Watching the variety of events from across the globe makes me so proud to work for Diageo, I genuinely believe that as a company we are stepping up for progress, people, and society. Here's to all the amazing women helping to make a difference, and to inspire others around them.
Melissa Neal
Business Area Administrator, Scotland

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