LCBO championing equitable representation in the beverage alcohol industry
At the LCBO, we believe in the power of collective impact when it comes to building communities where all individuals have access to the opportunities they need to thrive. In 2021, we embarked on a mission to infuse the industry with opportunity. Through the Spirit of Sustainability, we launched the Spirit of Inclusion Initiative – a program designed to create opportunities for diverse women to enter, advance, and thrive within the beverage alcohol industry.
Together with our education and beverage alcohol partners, we developed a program that provides bursaries and scholarships, access to mentorship, and identifies paid co-op placements for diverse women looking to enter this industry. This year, we are celebrating five years of impact with over 40 scholarships awarded to recipients within the winery, brewery and distillery fields.
Watch the below video to hear from four of our scholarship recipients about what this opportunity means to them.
Jessica Colacci: I thought that this was such a great initiative. As a woman and a woman of a diverse background, I'm of mixed-race heritage. I saw this scholarship that not only helped me financially, but also celebrated women like me in an industry that's quite male dominated.
Monserrat De Les Rios: Because of the mentorship program, I was able to meet with people from sales, marketing, as well as production, and it really allowed me to see like, the whole picture.
Jackie Seuradge: What I hope to see for this industry is more of this going forward. Programs like the Spirit of Inclusion Initiative will again help provide those opportunities for folks who traditionally just wouldn't get those opportunities.
Amanpreet Bhamra: It gave me the opportunity to travel to Europe last year. It’s a big thing to be walking down those cellars and learning so much about wines. It was one of the best experiences of my life.
George Brown College
PROGRAMS SUPPORTED: Advanced Wine & Beverage Business Management Program, Beer Specialist Program, CAPS Certified Sommelier Program, WSET Level 3 Program, WSET 2 Level Program, and Wine Specialist Program.
Niagara College
PROGRAMS SUPPORTED: Artisan Distilling, Beverage Business Management, Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management, and Winery and Viticulture Technician program.
Brock University
PROGRAMS SUPPORTED: Wine Management program
