There are many things I look forward to as signs of spring burst through. Wildflowers sprinkled across the valley, cherry blossoms shaking in the wind, and buds breaking on the vines. But what I’ve come to enjoy most of all is Women’s History Month and its tribute to world-changing women. Thanks to organizations like Women of the Vine & Spirits, which by its very existence speaks to the seismic shifts toward closing the gender gap in the industry, we can blaze forward to tip the scale even further.
At this year’s symposium, Women Raising the Bar, results were presented from the group’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) report, which was produced in collaboration with Deloitte. The study was conducted to provide a framework for companies to measure performance, evaluate internal practices, and encourage accountability and best practices to foster more diverse, equitable and inclusive workplaces. The results were compiled from executive interviews, individual surveys and company-wide questionnaires. Deborah Brenner, founder and CEO of Women of the Vine & Spirits, shared this about the initiative in a prepared statement, “This baseline report on DE&I in Beverage Alcohol will help inform leaders, allies, and the next generation on how to effectively fasten the pace towards equity, creating more inclusive workplaces and increasing your company’s bottom line.” Data was based on employees’ perceptions, around the areas of organizational diversity, and company efforts to promote DEI, and also included an analysis of the current state of DEI in the industry.
Ryan Robinson, director of research at Deloitte, presented the results and expressed, “We know that it will be over 100 years until we achieve gender equity in the workplace. Until now, companies have relied on very limited data since most studies have included the beverage alcohol sector as part of a broader food and beverage industry categorization.” The hope, according to Robinson, is that in recognizing deficiencies, impactful actions can be taken. If there is any question about the necessity of such a report, I will let the numbers do the talking. One of the more glaring reveals was that only 10% of female survey respondents thought
there had been a significant positive change toward women in the industry, in the past five years. Additionally, only 20% of women felt their company’s DEI efforts had been successful in creating a better workplace. The statistics point to an overarching problem, perhaps best summarized by an industry executive who was cited in the presentation, “The promotion of DEI has gotten better, but substantiative change hasn’t happened yet. At this stage, it feels more like the DEI equivalent of greenwashing.”
Additionally, 81% of respondents cited industry bias toward men as a chief contributor to the lack of diversity in leadership positions. Another culprit— organizational cultural norms—came in at 52%. The study also reported that 81% of women believe minorities are underrepresented among their company’s senior executive pool. When it comes to money, only 48% of companies surveyed had even conducted an equal pay audit in the past fiscal year, which one could gander, further substantiates the gender divide. The fact that the panel, which presented the data, was comprised of two male presenters and two females (one of which was the moderator) was equally revealing.
The following recommendations were suggested as steps to assist with mitigating deficiencies: perform a current state of the union assessment, align on DEI priorities, drive change from the top, gain fresh talent strategies, and focus on mentorship and sponsorship.
The panel was one of several informative sessions, which spoke to everything from creating a safer workplace free from harassment to the introduction of a Women Powered Brands database. The event came to a close with a virtual toast that inspired participants and women leaders from across the industry and around the globe to raise a glass and unite to break the bias and impact positive change in the beverage alcohol industry. While there is much work to be done to close the equality gap, the fact that such an event exists and gains traction each year, points to hope on the horizon. As British feminist writer Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797) once wrote, “I do not
wish women to have power over men; but power over themselves.” I am equally inspired by these words from Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” I will raise my own glass and charge forward, with that quote in mind.
