Diageo’s drive to increase disability employment has transformed workplace culture

Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including Johnnie Walker, Guinness, and Baileys. As part of Diageo’s ‘Society 2030: Spirit of Progress’ 10-year sustainability action plan, the business has committed to championing inclusion for its people, which includes building a supportive and diverse culture where each individual feels a sense of belonging.

Diageo partnered with Fairstart Scotland to attract more people with disabilities into the workforce

At the Shieldhall manufacturing site, the world’s largest Scotch Whisky bottling facility, Diageo’s ‘We Are All Able’ Employee Resource Group saw an opportunity to support the employment of people with a disability, and drive broader understanding of disability across the business.

‘We Are All Able’ partnered with Fairstart Scotland, a government funded employability agency who provide people with tailored support for  their physical, mental and workplace needs, into employment in Scotland. This fruitful partnership enabled Diageo to offer career opportunities to registered disabled workers in Scotland with the knowledge and confidence that the culture and working practices would support success.

Diageo set up an intern programme to drive change

The We Are All Able intern programme didn’t take long to set up. The real driver of the programme was the will for change within the team who initiated it, and the focus on inclusion from the business.

From concept to first intern recruited only took six months. In terms of costs, existing budgets were utilised, with a small additional cost to buy new software.

Now in its third year, the initiative has created six-month internships for registered disabled workers, but all employees have benefitted, because a series of training courses which run in parallel help to give knowledge, awareness, and break down the stigma.

Cultural change has shifted the workplace culture for the better

The difference the internships have made to Shieldhall is not measurable in normal KPIs; it is in how the culture and attitudes have changed to become more positive and inclusive.

Diageo’s annual Your Voice employee survey noted a 2% increase in the Inclusion & Diversity index for the Shieldhall site and a 13% increase in the teams understanding of the Inclusion & Diversity destination as part of Society 2030: Spirit of Progress.

The site was awarded an Inclusive Workplace Award through SUSE, the lead partner in the Disability Employment Gap Public Social Partnership (PSP), commissioned by the Scottish Government.

The perspective and understanding that is created when different people come together has been a great learning. Diageo will continue to look for new ways to make the workplace more accessible for all, the business knows there’s more to do.

Ensuring all Shieldhall employees understand what it means to be disabled has been crucial to the programme’s success. By educating all employees and building awareness, the programme has benefitted everyone.