International Women’s Day (IWD) is a global celebration of women's social, economic, cultural and political achievements. WSET’s Employee Diversity and Inclusion Action Group has planned a programme of activities to show support.
This year's theme for IWD is #ChooseToChallenge. WSET is taking up this challenge and confronting inequality in all its forms to break the silence on bias. Adriana Morvaiova, Diversity and Inclusion mentor who also champions the value of cultural exchange in the workplace, will be hosting a talk for all WSET employees. She will be speaking about the theory and research behind diversity, equity and inclusion, followed by practical examples of what it looks like in a global organisation. She will also address how COVID19 has affected gender equality and why it’s even more important that we #ChooseToChallenge during a global pandemic.
A spokesperson for the WSET Employee Action Group explains, “IWD is a global celebration of the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women and people who identify as such. Given that diversity and inclusion has become a focused priority for WSET in the last year, we’ve chosen to observe IWD within our organisation. Amongst our staff and within the wine and spirits industry, we want to highlight and celebrate the important contributions made by the women who work with us! We also want to challenge sexism and gender inequality, where it still exists.”
WSET employees are also showing their support through a photo collage of themselves striking the #ChooseToChallenge pose.
WSET has always sought to highlight the achievements of women working in the drinks trade. Throughout the past year, we have amplified women's stories from many different backgrounds and a wide range of countries, including South Africa, Hong Kong and India, with roles as diverse as a youth development worker, film star and winemaker. On International Women’s Day, we’ll be sharing our own montage of the women who generously shared their stories with us.
