Kate Gibson has joined Diageo in the newly created role of Director of Diageo in Society. Kate is leading the team responsible for making sure that Diageo plays a positive role in all the communities in which it operates.
A career in helping society
Kate has a long-term career interest in supporting communities and wider society. She joins Diageo from InterContinental Hotels Group where she was Vice President, Global Corporate Citizenship. With InterContinental, Kate helped the hotels maximise their positive impact on the local community through helping local people build their skills and improve their employment prospects as part of the IHG Academy. Kate also ran IHG Shelter in a Storm, the company's charitable foundation helping IHG employees and local people in times of natural disaster.
Diageo's commitment to communities
Diageo has created Kate's role to show Diageo’s commitment to society and to meet its significant targets. This commitment is diverse, but always with community at its core. Diageo supports the fostering of skills and learning development, minimises its operational impact on the environment, with a focus on water stewardship and replenishment in water stressed areas, and sources local raw materials. Also, critically to its business, Diageo is a leader in alcohol in society by striving to promote the responsible consumption of alcohol and reducing alcohol related harm.
Helping women thrive
Diageo also builds thriving communities and increases access to opportunity through empowering women. Diageo's community programmes enable women who live and work in its communities to have the skills and resources to build a better future for themselves. Diageo have empowered over 390,000 women through its women's empowerment programmes to date.
This reflects Diageo's commitment to providing equal opportunities for women within its own community and promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace. As of January 2016, women account for 45% of Diageo's Board of Directors and 42% of its executive leadership.
“Across our diverse supply chain I see first-hand the positive impact our operations can have on the communities around them," says David Cutter, Chief Sustainability Officer and President, Global Supply and Procurement, Diageo. "I fervently believe in the significant contribution we can make and our commitment to do so.”
Join talented women like Kate at Diageo
Women's work is valued at Diageo and they thrive with the support and opportunities given to them in the company. As one of the leading alcohol beverages company, Diageo offers a wide range of opportunities to talented women. Learn more and apply now!
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Disclosure: Where Women Work researches and publishes insightful evidence about how its paid member organizations support women's equality.