The Respect in Drinks Charter was developed by the Embrace Difference Council as a statement of what employees, customers and suppliers can expect from Drinks Association members, and what those members expect in return. Rather than a list of obligations flowing one way, it's a shared standard for how people in the drinks industry treat each other.
It rests on two commitments. Respect, meaning every person's right to dignity, equality and fair treatment. Inclusion, meaning zero tolerance for discrimination, bullying or harassment.
Signatories commit to:
- zero tolerance for discriminatory behaviour, bullying, harassment or non-adherence to local laws
- setting clear expectations around professional conduct
- providing environments where everyone feels safe and respected
- encouraging the responsible consumption of alcohol
- enabling anyone to report a breach through their own whistleblower hotline, with contact details published openly on our website.
Twenty member companies have now signed the Charter.
What we've seen so far
When the Charter launched, leaders and individuals from across the industry spoke about what respect meant to them. Those conversations shaped how the Charter has been received and understood, and a consistent theme ran through them: the document sets the standard, but behaviour is what delivers it.
Since then, we've seen excellent examples of the Charter being embedded across the industry. Companies have built it into leadership expectations and into how teams work together day to day.
Keeping it alive
A charter only holds its value if it stays part of the conversation. The commitments don't change, but the people do. New starters join. Teams shift. Leaders move on. The standard has to be actively passed on, not assumed. Which means the accountability sits with all of us. Every person in this industry has a part in keeping these principles alive, in the standards we set, the behaviour we model and the things we choose not to let pass.
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.