Celebrating an inclusive and diverse culture is core to Diageo’s purpose of “celebrating life every day everywhere”. This purpose is, in itself, inclusive in nature, as it values everybody irrespective of background, religion, sexuality or ethnicity.
Diageo knows that for their business to thrive and for them to realise their ambition, they depend on having diverse talent with a range of backgrounds, skills and capabilities in each of the 180 countries in which they operate and to reflect their broad consumer base. They passionately believe that embracing diversity is one of the key enablers that helps their business to grow. Their values, purpose and standards set the conditions for them to respect the unique contribution each person brings. Authentic relationships are at the heart of how they operate together.
Rainbow Network at Diageo
Diageo’s LGBT Employee Resource Group – the Rainbow Network – is focused on raising the profile of LGBT issues as well as the broader inclusion and diversity agenda. The group’s purpose is “to unleash the potential that being able to be yourself can bring to all of our lives and to Diageo’s performance ambition.” The aim is to create a culture that is purposeful and celebrates diversity within Diageo and its brands.
Reaching common goals
To deliver on this goal, the Diageo Rainbow Network partners with European LGBT professional networks, Workplace Pride and OUTstanding. Suki Sandhu, Founder and CEO of OUTstanding, said ‘We are delighted to embark on this exciting partnership with Diageo. We believe in helping companies dismantle the barriers that stand in the way of the best talent rising. It is only by recognising the social and business value of inclusive leadership, peer networking and the power of role models, that everyone can really be themselves at work. With increased trust between colleagues and better support for customers, we can all prosper and achieve our common purposes.’
The network has established chapters across Europe in London, Brussels, Amsterdam, and Budapest and is launching two further chapters in Madrid and Scotland in the coming months. The Chapters organise a range of events and activities. A new innovation in the London HQ office is a four day event running between 3 rd to 6 th July, dedicated to inclusion, branded as “INC.”. This is an event all about creating the conditions for people to live full lives by respecting and embracing difference as a positive thing. This will be achieved through four key strategies: Key Note Presentations; Story Telling; Education: and Celebration.
Diageo saw Sally Bundock from the BBC’s World News Business team chaired a panel event on Inclusion. They also had many further fantastic speakers, including Nikki Fox, the BBC’s Disability Correspondent; members of OUTstanding and London PRIDE; as well as a broad spectrum of internal and external educators on the subject of inclusion.
Congratulations to all of the Diageo team involved in this fantastic initiative which represents an exciting new chapter in their diversity agenda in Europe!
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Disclosure: Where Women Work researches and publishes insightful evidence about how its paid member organizations support women's equality.