Respect is a value and guiding principle that Mohana Ghate, HR Business Partner at Diageo, holds dear. So when the Drinks Association Embrace Difference Council launched the Respect in Drinks Charter, it resonated deeply with her as an important step forward for the industry.
“The Respect in Drinks Charter speaks to one of my core values,” she says. “Valuing and treating each other with respect, dignity and fairness are also very important values for Diageo.”
With 19 founding signatories, the Respect in Drinks Charter aims to set a new industry standard around respect. Signatories commit to a shared responsibility to foster safe and inclusive workplaces, underpinned by transparency and ongoing education.
For Mohana, the Charter is especially important because it pushes the entire industry to think more broadly about inclusion and how it shows up in real ways.
“Across the drinks industry, we’ve all been on our own journeys when it comes to inclusion,” she says. “What’s positive to see is that many organisations are not only leading our industry, but also championing inclusion in the community more broadly. The Charter is another opportunity for us to learn from each other and raise the bar together.”
Of particular note for Mohana is Diageo’s leadership in this space, including their industry-leading family leave policy and newly launched fertility guidelines and leave.
“This is resetting the standards around what employees can expect from their employers,” she explains. “I’ve seen so many families celebrate the time they’ve been able to spend with their little ones and the support they’ve felt as a result of these progressive policies.”
Mohana’s passion for people and inclusion extends beyond policy and into everyday action. With over six years at Diageo, she has proudly contributed to multiple employee-led initiatives, including the Wellbeing Group and the Women’s Employee Resource Group.
“By being a part of these groups, I’ve been able to have an impact and influence Diageo’s inclusion agenda more broadly,” she says.
“We’re challenging ourselves to create flexibility in shift-based roles and exploring job-sharing opportunities where handovers aren’t needed,” she says. “I’ve had lovely people over my career who have created safe spaces for me and I love to pay it forward by ensuring I can create that for as many people as I can.”
Mohana believes the Respect in Drinks Charter will help unify and elevate these kinds of efforts across the industry. It’s not just about aspiration; it’s also about accountability.
“This initiative will help set standards for the industry,” she says. “The Drinks Association has always been a great platform for us to learn from each other, and this will amplify that learning. Through reporting, we’ll create a shared accountability for creating an inclusive environment across the entire industry.”
And when it comes to creating lasting change, she believes it starts with leadership and consistency.
“I’m a big believer in creating standards, educating through training and storytelling and leading by example. Whether that’s calling out behaviour that isn’t inclusive or celebrating the values we want everyone to live by.”
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.