There’s a leadership reset underway at the Drinks Association’s Embrace Difference Council, with several key roles changing hands across the council and its workstreams.
After successfully guiding the council through a focused three-year strategy, Sandra Gibbs has stepped down as Embrace Difference Council Chair with Sarah Abbott (Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Lion) now moving into the Chair role. With Stephanie Shedden going on parental leave, Jade Hunter (HR Manager at Bacardi-Martini Australia) has taken on the Gender Equity Workstream Lead and Alicia Partridge (Internal Communications Manager at Vinarchy) is now leading the Insights Workstream.
The changes ensure continuity across the council’s key priorities while bringing new leaders into roles that will shape the next phase of its work with members across the industry.
Building on strong foundations
Sarah’s move into the Chair role comes after several years leading the Insights Workstream, where the council’s reporting and shared data have become one of its most practical tools. Across members, that transparency has helped organisations understand where they sit and where change is needed, something she describes simply as “a game changer” for the industry.
What stands out most to her is the impact of collective action. The council’s ability to bring competitors together around shared standards has helped establish clearer expectations for behaviour and workplace culture. “The change we can make when we come together as a collective is incredibly powerful,” she says. The goal is straightforward: an industry that attracts strong talent because it feels fair, inclusive and respectful to work in.
Stepping into the Chair role, Sarah is focused on continuing the work Sandra shaped over the past three years. She describes a strategy that was clear from the start and grounded in outcomes – something she attributes directly to Sandra’s leadership. “What Sandra did was galvanise our strategy so we were really clear about the direction we were heading,” she says, noting that the structure put in place made it possible to follow through on each stage. By the end of the cycle, “we’d achieved what we set out to do.”
Turning insights into action
With Sarah stepping into the Chair role, Alicia takes over the Insights Workstream. The priority now is making sure the council’s data continues to translate into practical action for members. The value lies in the usefulness of the insights to inform recruitment strategies, policy decisions and workplace initiatives rather than sitting in reports. “I want to make sure the information we’re providing is really actionable for members,” she says, “with a focus on the kind of data that helps organisations make real decisions.”
Many member organisations are further along in their inclusion work than they were a few years ago, and the next phase is about using industry-wide insights to support more informed choices. The aim is to help organisations attract and retain people in a competitive talent market and to position the drinks industry as a place people actively want to build a career. The council’s collaborative model continues to be one of its strengths – “what makes this so powerful,” in Alicia’s words.
Continuing the gender equity work
Jade steps into leadership of the Gender Equity Workstream at a time when attention is firmly on the industry’s future pipeline. Attracting women into the sector remains a challenge for many organisations, particularly beyond entry-level roles. “Getting females into the industry can be a struggle for many,” she says, “we need a collective approach to make the sector more approachable and to encourage women to join and remain within it.”
The work ahead will look at equity across the full employee lifecycle – from recruitment through to development and retention – with a focus on practical steps organisations can take. Creating environments where people stay and grow is as important as bringing them in. Stephanie’s contribution to the workstream has helped set that tone, acting as “a great guiding force” and encouraging members to turn discussion into action within their own businesses.
A collective commitment to progress
Drinks Association CEO Georgia Lennon welcomed the leadership changes, noting the council’s growing impact across the industry.
“The Embrace Difference Council has become a powerful example of what’s possible when organisations come together with a shared commitment to respect, inclusion and belonging,” she says. “With new leaders stepping into key roles, we’re excited to see how the next chapter builds on the strong foundations already in place and continues to drive meaningful change across our industry.”
As the council moves into this new phase, the focus remains clear: build on the progress made, strengthen collaboration across member organisations and continue shaping an industry where everyone can see a place for themselves.