Majestic seeks new Diversity in Wine scholarship applicants

By James Lawrence

Published: 06 March, 2023

Leading retailer Majestic is inviting 12 new candidates to join its industry-leading Diversity in Wine scholarship programme.

Majestic launched the initiative during the pandemic, with the aim of driving diversity and inclusivity across the wine industry. The scholarships offer anyone from a Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic or diverse background the opportunity to study for their WSET Level 2 qualification at no cost, and with no obligation to work for Majestic upon completion of the course.

According to Majestic: “The online course and required wine samples would usually cost around £400.”

Since its inception in September 2020, Majestic has helped 45 people (31 women, 14 men) achieve their WSET Level 2 qualification, opening up a route into the wine industry that might not otherwise have been readily available to them.

This year, 10 more candidates from the BAME community completed the WSET Level 2 qualification. They will be officially 'crowned' by Majestic’s CEO John Colley at an online graduation ceremony next month, ahead of an in-person celebration in the autumn.

“We are incredibly proud of our in-house Learning and Development team, and continue to harness that knowledge and expertise to create meaningful, long-lasting change across the wine industry,” said Colley.

He added: “Huge congratulations go to all of our new Diversity in Wine scholars. They are further evidence of the powerful impact we are having at Majestic in creating a more diverse and inclusive future for our colleagues, customers and suppliers, by helping people from all backgrounds to take their first steps into the sector.”Majestic, equality, Greene King,

Anyone who is interested in applying can do so here.

Meanwhile, Greene King has made a bold commitment to have 50% of its senior management roles held by women by 2030, supported by Green Sky, its women-focused employee-led inclusion group.

A major stakeholder in the UK's hospitality sector, Greene King announced this goal ahead of International Women’s Day 2023, which takes place on 8 March.

According to a representative from the firm, “Greene Sky’s ambition is to help more women shape the future of the business and is composed of women and allies across all levels of the company. As well as advising on current issues faced by team members, its role is to encourage female empowerment and inclusion across all of Greene King.”

This new initiative joins a growing number of schemes designed to enhance the employee experience in the workplace, including Greene King's Reverse Mentoring, Female Mentoring and Inclusive Leadership training, in addition to the introduction of a new maternity policy last year.

Clair Preston-Beer, MD for Greene King pubs, commented: “We recognise that we’re on a journey to everyday inclusion, where all our people are embraced and valued for who they are so that they can reach their full potential and thrive.”

“This pledge is the first step in the right direction to working towards delivering greater gender parity and our ambition to have 50% of senior management roles filled by women by 2030. With our ongoing inclusion activity, developing existing and attracting new talent, along with further policy improvements, I believe we have solid plans in place to make change become a reality.”

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