Diageo’s Kristel Travis champions equality and equity for all

Diageo knows that the best performing businesses prioritize inclusion and diversity, and the company believes it is crucial to create a culture with inclusion and diversity at its heart.

Kristel Travis, Procurement Director, Supplier Diversity & Responsible Sourcing, is proud of her career at Diageo, where she is empowered to champion equality and equity for all.

Driving a cultural and strategy shift

"They say, 'if you do what you love, you'll never work a day in your life'," explains Kristel.

She continues, "This may sound a bit cliché, but I look at my job as a true passion. Since joining Diageo, this is the first job I've had where I feel I directly champion equality & equity for all. A large part of my role in Supplier Diversity is to lead conversations about driving economic impact in underrepresented communities through the engagement of diverse owned businesses and something about that work just feels right.

"Not only am I a driving force in a cultural & strategy shift, but I’m also helping diverse business owners create generational wealth in groups that have been systemically oppressed & marginalized."

Creating opportunities for others

"The moment that sparked my interest in Supplier Diversity was hearing the term on an AHEAD BRG call. In the past six years of my professional life, I’d never even heard the term Supplier Diversity before and like most, I immediately assumed it had to do with a company's makeup but instead had everything to do with who owned it!" remarks Kristel.

She explains, "Ownership is such an important concept and one that I previously, I underestimated. Owning a business means that you can grow it, pass it on, and create opportunities for others."

Challenging the status quo

Kristel has worked in manufacturing for nearly 10 years, and explains that the environment and leadership is typically dominated by white males, "which always reminded me of the saying 'you can't be what you don't see'," she says.

"Once I learned Procurement had a role dedicated to Diageo's supply chain, it was inspiring and intrigued me to make the pivot to Procurement, by leading glass, notably one of the most difficult categories for the business.

"This challenge prepared me to successfully transition into the role of Director of Supplier Diversity. I’m in a role where I get to challenge the status quo and directly influence diversity & inclusion," continues Kristel.

She concludes, "So now, when I’m reminded of that old saying, 'You Can't Be What You Don't See', it feels great to know that I am a part of changing the landscape of what people see and can aspire to be."