Celebrating influential women across the drinks industry
Anna MacDonald
Category Marketing Director – Beer – Diageo GB
How is diversity & inclusion a key foundation at your own organisation?
“At Diageo, we are committed to nurturing the most inclusive and diverse culture, as well as shaping market-leading policies and practices because it is both the right thing to do and helps our business grow. This is integral to our purpose of ‘celebrating life, every day, everywhere’.
“Shaping a more diverse and successful long-term business and society requires ambition and action, which is why we’ve set bold goals as part of our ‘Society 2030: Spirit of Progress’ ESG action plan, including 50% representation of women in leadership roles and 45% from ethnically diverse backgrounds by 2030.
“A lot of positive steps have been made at Diageo thus far. When it comes to our senior leadership team, for example, not only is 73% of our board female, but representation of women in our leadership, including our Executive Committee, remains strong at 44% (June 2023). We are not resting on our laurels though and we have stretching ambitions for our leadership group to be 50% female by 2030.”
Do you feel a positive culture being in place helps you cement business relationships?
“Making sure we celebrate life, every day, everywhere is at the heart of everything we do, and it is what makes Diageo such a great place to work.
“Our ambition is to be one of the best performing, most trusted and respected consumer products companies in the world. We believe that everybody should be able to thrive in an environment that values their contribution and celebrates what makes them unique.
“Across Diageo, we champion inclusion and diversity, from how we attract, recruit and develop our teams, to representation in our supply chain, the ways we portray the richness of society across our brands and our work to make a positive difference in our communities.”
Tell us about your own success story, positive experiences etc?
“I have been working at Diageo since 2000 where I started in the graduate scheme, and it has been a such a positive experience from the very start. Over the years, I have been very lucky to have worked in a variety of different roles within a range of markets, such as in the US and across Europe.
“Along the way, I have had the opportunity to meet inspiring people, visit lots of interesting places in the world, as well as work on some groundbreaking projects across the Diageo brands, including the creation of Don Julio 70 and more recently being part of Guinness’ amazing success stories in the UK.
“Something that has stood out to me throughout my time working at Diageo is that I have always felt very supported by colleagues, managers and leaders. Diageo provides a safe space for employees of any level to share and discuss ideas, develop and grow.”
What opportunities are there for career evolution within your company?
“There are fantastic opportunities for career evolution at Diageo within markets, internationally and cross functionally – and this is something I have experienced first-hand.
“Not only that, but Diageo has taken great steps to make different categories within the drinks sector even more inclusive. For example, whisky was previously considered a predominantly male industry, however we champion the women that work for our whisky brands.
“We also appointed our first female Johnnie Walker Master Blender, Emma Walker, in 2021 and I am confident that women will continue to play a critical role in shaping the success of our whisky brands in the future.”
What has your experience been like as a woman working in your field?
“I feel very lucky to work at Diageo which is a place that creates a culture of inclusivity. The drinks sector as a whole has come a long way, however there is still plenty of work to be done. There have been occasions where I have been the only woman involved in a meeting or project, however Diageo is already taking steps to ensure there is more representation across the entire business.
“Diageo makes it very clear that they want to instil a sense of responsibility to drive change, ensuring there is a more equal society for generations to come.”
What challenges have you overcome in the past in this regard?
“Being a mother of two children and working full-time means that I have a lot to juggle! It also means that some days are good, and others are not as good, but I have found that it is important to be open about this.
“When I have expressed these thoughts to others in the organisation, it has always been met with positive feedback, as well as words of encouragement and support. When I do take some time away, for example, for my daughter’s sports day, this is never met with judgement and people are very accommodating.”
What experiences have your female clients had (positive or negative) within the drinks industry, if this is something you can share with us?
“The industry has changed a lot. If we look back 15 – 20 years, there was less focus on marketing drinks to women, with men being the primary target for most drinks across all categories. This has completely changed, and it is great to see. In fact, we have seen a 24% increase in the number of women drinking Guinness in Great Britain!”
@DiageoGB
