LION has taken home the 2026 Best Wellbeing Initiative at the Australian Drinks Awards. The award recognises Healthy Minds, an evidence-based, data-driven framework built to measure and improve wellbeing across the business.
Wellbeing measured, not just encouraged
Wellbeing has long been a strategic focus at LION. Healthy Minds was designed to move that commitment beyond awareness campaigns and standalone activities toward a structured model that could actually be measured.
At its centre is the Healthy Minds Wellbeing Wheel, which, for the first time, connects individual wellbeing insights, team action planning and enterprise strategy through a single framework. Annual surveys identify priority areas and those insights directly shape LION's three-year wellbeing strategy.
Individualised right down to each employee
More than 1,100 employees completed the 2025 survey, contributing to roughly 2,300 responses across the two-year program, reaching both office-based and operational staff through email, posters, screen savers, QR codes and team discussions. Survey insights led to expert-led workshops in 2025 targeting the priority areas employees identified. Every participant received a personalised wellbeing development plan to support their own goal-setting.
Results were formally debriefed with LION's Group Leadership Team by a psychologist, with key insights also reported to the LION Board, grounding the initiative in expert analysis.
Every wellbeing metric moved in the right direction
The 2025 results showed improvement across all six Healthy Minds wellbeing dimensions, with LION remaining above benchmark in every category. The Total Wellbeing Index rose to 74%, up two points year-on-year, with the strongest gains in exercise, psychological skills, and fun, interests and social life. Engagement climbed to 83% (up six points on 2024 and eight points above global benchmark), wellbeing to 82%, inclusion to 81%, and intent to stay to 63%, with no engagement outcomes declining in 2025.
Throughout the judging process, the judges highlighted:
- A genuine feedback loop, with the initiative endorsed from executive level all the way down to individual action plans.
- Clear evolution over time rather than a "set and forget" approach, extended consistently across both office and supply chain environments.
- A strongly individualised model, tailoring development opportunities to each employee rather than applying a single, generic program.
- A direct, visible link between the initiative and engagement outcomes, tracked through KPIs that reflect real movement for individuals.
- High employee uptake, helped by an approach simple enough to be easily understood, adopted and replicated.
- The credibility added by partnering with an evidence-based, research-led organisation and bringing in subject-matter expertise beyond the leadership team alone.
Paramount Liquor sponsored the award again in 2026 and CEO Nathan Rowe presented the award to LION, saying:
“A thriving industry starts with thriving people and this award shines a light on the organisations making genuine, lasting investments in the people behind the industry. This year’s judges acknowledged the strength of the submissions and how the initiatives clearly talked to the type of culture and environment being fostered within the companies.”
An impressive night of wins for LION
Best Wellbeing Initiative was one of five award wins for LION on the night. The business also took home Best Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiative, back-to-back wins for Supplier of the Year and the Category Management Award, and Best New Product Innovation in the Beer category for Stone & Wood Radler.
"We're incredibly excited and honoured to receive this award,” said Mike Ryan, Head of Safety at LION. “It reflects several years of work embedding Healthy Minds, our evidence-based wellbeing approach, and reinforces our commitment to listening to our people and turning their feedback into meaningful action. Wellbeing is fundamental to how we work at LION, and we're proud to be creating a culture where our people can perform at their best."
There was a total of 16 awards handed out at the 14th Annual Australian Drinks Awards, hosted by Edwina Bartholomew. The awards recognise achievement and excellence in the drinks industry, including three Contribution to Industry Awards: Best Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiative, Best Wellbeing Initiative, and Best Environmental Sustainability Initiative.
The Drinks Association congratulates Category One Member LION on winning the 2026 Best Wellbeing Initiative Award.
Paramount Liquor is a Category One Member of the Drinks Association.
The Drinks Association would like to thank its generous sponsors for this year's event.
