Diageo believes an inclusive and diverse culture makes for a better business and a better world. This prime employer champions inclusion and diversity across its business, with its partners and communities, celebrating diversity and helping to shape a more tolerant society.
As part of this commitment to diversity, Diageo is proud to support Johnnie Walker Princes Street as the headline sponsor for Pride Edinburgh, Scotland’s national LGBT+ festival and the country's longest running free celebration of the LGBT+ community.
Sponsoring Scotland's national LGBT+ festival
Diageo is the parent company of Johnnie Walker Princes Street, an eight-floor visitor experience in the heart of Scotland’s capital city, which tells the story of the world’s best-selling scotch.
“Now more than ever, as national headlines continue to reflect the struggle LGBTQIA+ people face, we can fully celebrate coming together to commemorate our history and advocate for our community! In preparation, we have expanded the Pride Edinburgh team to deliver the march and festival our capital city has come to expect. To achieve this, we appreciate having the support of our neighbor Johnnie Walker Princes Street," says Pride Edinburgh Chair, Brett Herriot.
In addition to the Johnnie Walker Princes Street main stage, Pride-goers can expect a march through the streets of Edinburgh, community spaces, youth venues, and spectacular entertainment with route and scheduled acts.
An established history of celebrating Pride
Diageo has an established history of supporting Pride and that has been embraced by the team at the Edinburgh visitor attraction. Led by its global Rainbow Network of LGBTQIA+ colleagues, Diageo has celebrated previous Pride events by raising the Pride Progress flag.
Throughout Pride month a number of events took place, including a Learning for Life event at Johnnie Walker Princes Street aimed at upskilling hospitality teams across LGBTQIA+ venues, Stories that Inspire, an event in Venezuela with Tamara Adrian (the first transgender person elected to office in Venezuela), and the first-ever Diageo Pride event in Santa Vittoria, Italy. Already, Johnnie Walker has thrown its support behind World Pride Australia.
Initiatives that support the LGBTQIA+ community
More broadly, Diageo operates numerous initiatives to support the LGBTQIA+ community, including an industry-leading parental leave policy giving all UK employees 26 weeks’ paid leave, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, or whether they become parents biologically, via surrogacy, or adoption.
The business has also been awarded full marks on the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index, which rates US workplaces on LGBTQIA+ equality.
“Since opening, we have proudly supported Pride with an incredible calendar of events coordinated by our Rainbow Network, such as a tailored Pride with Purpose workshop through our Learning for Life skills programme, which was designed to support and upskill LGBTQIA+ hospitality venues and LGBTQIA+ community hospitality workers. We are delighted to extend our support as the headline sponsor this year. Our core purpose as a business is to Celebrate Life, Every Day, Everywhere, and championing inclusion and diversity is at the heart of this. It is important for us to ensure the talents and contributions of all of our employees, and guests, are respected, valued, and embraced," commented Scotland Brand Homes and Johnnie Walker Princes Street Managing Director, Barbara Smith.
Work for a company that champions diversity
For the business to thrive and for the company to realize its ambition, Diageo depends on recruiting, retaining and developing diverse talent with a range of backgrounds, skills and capabilities in each of the 180 countries of operation. Diversity of thought and experience fuels growth and innovation in the organisation and brings Diageo closer to its consumer base.
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Disclosure: Where Women Work researches and publishes insightful evidence about how its paid member organizations support women's equality.