Over his 14 years in the liquor industry, Andy Tsai, the Jack Daniel's Australia Brand Ambassador at Brown-Forman, has seen the industry at its best with inclusive, friendly, safe and encouraging environments. But he’s also seen it at its worst and witnessed – or been the victim of – sexual harassment, rascim and discriminatory behaviour. He sees the Respect in Drinks Charter as more than a policy – it’s a personal mission.
Launched by the Drinks Association Embrace Difference Council, the Respect in Drinks Charter is a bold, industry-wide commitment to foster safe, respectful and inclusive work environments. It calls on businesses and individuals to actively stand against discrimination, harassment and bullying, and to build a culture where everyone feels supported and valued.
Andy believes in the power of the initiative to drive real change across the sector. “This Charter is important to me for two main reasons,” he says. “Firstly, is to assist in enabling our family in hospitality to have a voice, to be protected and to have the support they need to feel safe at work.”
His second reason is deeply personal. “As someone of mixed race who was the victim of racial discrimination growing up, I want to get behind a Charter that grows awareness, supports inclusive behaviours, fosters cultural awareness and hopefully do my part in ensuring a safer and more inclusive workplace – and industry – for the multicultural future generations of Australian hospo workers.”
It’s the everyday actions that Andy believes matter most – what he calls “the brilliant basics.” Things like being aware of body language, including those who might feel left out, calling out inappropriate behaviour and treating everyone with the respect they deserve.
Andy leads by example through kindness, empathy and emotional intelligence. “For me it’s leading with acts of kindness, patience, and trying to understand and appreciate the diversity of people in both my workplace and the venues I work with,” he explains. “If I feel that someone’s energy is a bit off, or if someone is being victimised or left out of group activity, I will always try to check in and support.”
Looking to the future, Andy hopes the Respect in Drinks Charter will empower the next generation to speak up, call out poor behaviour and create safer workplaces for everyone. “I am hoping that our future generations of employees, bartenders, operators and customers gradually feel more confident in speaking up and whistleblowing bad behaviours,” he says. “I also hope the feedback on this initiative comes back in rivers rather than drops, to show its value, so many more can join the great cause.”
Andy has already seen what’s possible when people rally together to support fairness and inclusion. He recalls working with a young woman in a nightclub who was repeatedly passed over for promotion due to gendered assumptions from the venue manager.
“Myself and three other managers petitioned and argued on her behalf, writing up a list of reasons we believed she would be a perfect fit and constructively calling out the fact that we believed that the basis of her stunted progress was discriminatory,” he recalls. Eventually, the venue manager relented. “Over the following two years, she far excelled our management team on performance and eventually became the new venue manager. She was celebrated by the entire team as a great leader. This instance, amongst thousands more across our industry, is proof enough that we all need to band together to champion inclusion and career progression on a person's abilities and skillsets, rather than their gender, sexual orientation or race.”
For Andy, that experience is a powerful reminder of what respect in action can achieve. And why the Respect in Drinks Charter is a critical step forward – for today and for the future.
The Drinks Association supports and encourages compliance by its members with the ‘Respect in Drinks Charter’ but makes no representations, expressly or by inference, in relation to the conduct of our members or their compliance with the Charter. The only representation made by the Association is that our member has signed the Charter. Any complaint or claim arising from any alleged breach of the Charter must be made directly to the member organisation.