WineGB launches hub to boost diversity in industry

By James Bayley

Published: 06 November, 2024

WineGB has introduced its ‘People Support Hub’ to mark the close of its 30 Days of Sustainable Action campaign, promoting equity, diversity and inclusion within the wine sector.

The hub is designed to support businesses, individuals and allies in building a more welcoming industry environment. This move comes on the heels of a 2023 survey by Curious Vines, which found that 76% of respondents felt women were underrepresented in leadership roles, while 58% believed women lacked equal progression opportunities. Only 9% of those surveyed worked in companies with predominantly female senior leaders.

By increasing diversity, WineGB aims to help businesses bring in fresh ideas and perspectives, which can drive innovation. The wider wine sector remains heavily reliant on older consumers, while English and Welsh wine consumption is stronger among millennials. The new hub could support businesses in reaching a broader customer base.

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The hub provides links to over 50 organisations within wine, alcohol, farming and EDI, targeting UK wine producers but offering value to the wider alcohol industry.

The launch follows WineGB’s Toolkit for Safe and Respectful Workplaces, a free document providing information and guidance to help ensure staff welfare. This toolkit was released just before a law change on 26 October 2024, requiring employers to take “reasonable steps” to prevent workplace harassment.

In addition, WineGB recently published its first Sustainability Impact Report, marking four years of data collection and two member surveys. The report assessed the impact of WineGB’s Sustainable Wines of Great Britain Scheme (SWGB) on the industry’s environmental, social and governance standards, showing that 43% of UK vine hectarage is now covered by the scheme.

WineGB chair Iain Anderson praised the hub, saying: “This is a great initiative. Everyone needs to be supported in the workplace to be able to be their best. Signposting to great resources and expert advice allows both small and large employers to move faster. I warmly welcome this.”

WineGB CEO Nicola Bates said: “Our industry is changing and becoming more diverse, but we can do more, and WineGB’s People Support Hub highlights resources that businesses, individuals and allies can use to get advice to foster more welcoming workplaces. Along with our Safeguarding Hub, we are showing that deeds, not words, matter most.”

WineGB sustainability executive Emma Rix added: “This has been our first 30 Days of Sustainable Action, which has seen us launch three major pieces of work within environmental and social sustainability, laying the groundwork for the future success of our industry. We now have a way for our producers to benchmark their sustainability efforts and resources for businesses and individuals to protect themselves.”

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