Business
Blue-sky drinking
Against a backdrop of female sommeliers saying the wine industry has a clear gender bias, a movement to celebrate and encourage women is gaining ground. Jungmin Seo reports
F
ollowing the publication of the Women in Wine report in October 2023, the indus- try has been alerted to a series of chal-
lenges they couldn’t ignore, according to wine collector and industry expert Queena Wong. The results from the survey, conducted
among 726 women across the drinks trade by Proof Insight, speak for themselves: 78% feel that sexism and gender bias is an issue in the UK wine industry, 33% have faced harassment while working, and 44% have
considered leaving the wine industry due to the challenges they faced. Informed by these statistics, Wong held a meeting with more than 20 leading industry bodies, including the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, the Wine & Spirit Education Trust, and the Drinks Trust, which ended with a commitment to address the issues raised. “Everyone agreed that something needs
to be done, but it is a beast,” she says. Wong is now leading the next stage of the process, which involves building a community through Curious Vines, her almost 1,000-strong female wine network, and maintaining regular correspondence with stakeholders, who are regrouping with their respective boards. She remains confident the survey will provide a catalyst for change because of the strength of the data, which counts as a repre- sentative sample of the population. “It’s irrefutable,” she says. “Some people –
even women – have said it [the views expressed in the survey] was not their experience. That’s great, but I’m here to protect and stick up for the majority that are saying there is an issue,” she says. There has also been a renewed urgency to
Maddalena Sommo 26 | The Caterer | 8 March 2024
keep the momentum of the survey going after the Worker Protection (Amendment of Equal- ity Act 2010) Act 2023 received Royal Assent in October 2023. “The bill protects workers from harassment, so it will become a duty for an employer to put in place policies and structures. It couldn’t have been more timely to give an incentive to companies to take this really seriously,” Wong adds. In the midst of this, she is keen to celebrate
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“What I can do is provide a place for women to feel like they are not alone. There is
support” Queena Wong
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