Six ways the drinks industry can support racial diversity

The spirits industry plays as big a role as any other sector in the effort to support racial diversity and eradicate racism, and there’s plenty that can be done at all levels.

Since the death of African-American George Floyd three months ago while in police custody in Minneapolis, the Black Lives Matter movement has snowballed, sparking a ripple of action from every corner of society. But for the movement to be successful, that momentum has to be maintained, and keep growing.

The work of unpicking white privilege and its impact and acknowledging discrimination in the workplace doesn’t stop with posting a black square to Instagram. Industries need to be engaged and committed to doing the work long after the initial momentum subsides.

The spirits industry plays as big a role in this as any other industry, and there’s plenty that can be done at all levels to support racial diversity within its workforce.

For example, earlier this year the Black Bourbon Society launched a non-profit consultancy firm, called Diversity Distilled, to create more diversity and inclusion across the spirits industry. Its aim is to advise spirits brands on how they can create and implement diversity and inclusion policies within their corporate structures.

The following is by no means exhaustive, or definitive, but it provides a starting point, outlining the basic measures that the spirits industry, and all businesses, can take to start supporting Black and ethnic minorities in the workplace.

Click through to the following pages to see six ways the industry can support racial diversity.