Curious Vines announces launch of practical inclusivity initiative

By Oliver Catchpole

Published: 21 April, 2026

This summer, organisations across the UK wine industry will take part in ‘The Curious Vines Change Series’, a number of initiatives created by the organisation which aim to create practical, collective action on inclusivity.

The overall objective is to raise standards across the industry from entry to culture to leadership – building on Curious Vines’ previous research and work on supporting sustainable ‘pipelines’ for talent and strengthening the long-term credibility of the industry.

The inaugural event – ‘Building Best-Practice Inclusive Hiring — Together’ – will take place on 18 June, with Curious Vines explaining that “hiring is one of the earliest and most powerful signals an organisation sends about who belongs”.

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The workshop will aim to provide clear, achievable actions (and simple tools) for wine businesses to implement good hiring practice, especially for those who operate with large internal HR infrastructure.

All participants will receive a practical digital toolkit after the workshop, with Curious Vines also intending to track and share collective progress over time.

Commenting on the initiative, Queena Wong (pictured), founder of Curious Vines, said: “There has been a lot of important conversation around inclusivity in wine. The next step is making it tangible.

“Wine’s credibility and future relevance depend on who is invited to contribute to it, which is why inclusive hiring is the right place for us to start.”

The session was designed in collaboration with Jennie Norrish, former communications, culture & sustainability director at Pernod Ricard.

She added: “The challenge many organisations face is not intent, but how to create the conditions where different strengths, perspectives and experiences can genuinely thrive and translate into impact.”

“What this first event does is focus on one of the earliest signals of that kind of inclusive organisation, and how small, practical shifts in hiring can shape culture, confidence and ultimately commercial performance over time.”

Now running Yellow Shoes Identity Consultancy – which focuses on culture change, leadership identity and the development of underrepresented talent – Norrish brings experience from over 20 years in drinks, luxury, FMCG and hospitality.

Other contributors include Pauline Vicard (co-founder of Areni Global), Vicky Ilankovan (executive director, Equal Measures UK), Emma Rix (sustainability & creativity manager, WineGB) and Rachel Tranter (co-founder of Women on Boards), alongside senior HR and recruitment specialists working within the drinks and wine sectors.

A limited number of places are now open to UK-based wine businesses. Those interested in attending can contact Queena Wong directly (at queena@curiousvines.co.uk) for further details.

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