DO YOU EVEN LIKE WHISKY?
The Barriers Holding Back Women in the Industry
the world’s first survey of women’s experiences working in whisky.
‘Do you even like whisky?’ It’s a question many women working in the industry have been asked several times, and one prompted by genuine surprise that women would choose to make, promote or enjoy whisky.
While seemingly innocuous, we know anecdotally that this perception – rooted in historic male-dominated marketing and advertising – has real world consequences for women in our industry.
Anecdotally, until now.
Conducted exclusively by the OurWhisky Foundation in July 2023, the survey ‘Do you even like whisky? The barriers holding back women in the industry’, was distributed among our own database and social channels, as well as the memberships of the Scotch Whisky Association, English Whisky Guild, Kentucky Distillers Association and American Craft Spirits Association.
We wanted to get to the heart of how women in our industry feel, the challenges they face in the workplace and whether they believe the industry is doing enough to support them. For the first time, we wanted to make their voices heard.
Over 600 women responded. This is what they said.
602 GLOBAL RESPONSES
From 30 countries, primarily the UK (53%), US (27%), Australia (5%), Canada (3%), Ireland (3%) and India (1%).
Job roles were varied but can be split across four areas:
40% EVENTS
(tour guide, hospitality/on-trade, ambassador,
consumer-facing roles)
25% OPERATIONS
(production, logistics)
23% OFFICE
(sales, admin, press, marketing)
12% RETAIL
(off-trade)
THE CHALLENGES
The most significant challenges facing women in whisky were cited as:
87%
SAID THEY FELT WOMEN IN WHISKY EXPERIENCE MORE CHALLENGES AT WORK THAN THEIR MALE COLLEAGUES
81%
OF WOMEN WORKING IN WHISKY HAVE BEEN ASKED IF THEY 'ACTUALLY LIKE WHISKY' WHILE AT WORK OR WHILE MAKING A PURCHASE*
*81% of female respondents said they’d been asked the question ‘do you even like whisky’ while at work or while ordering a whisky. However, this survey did not quantify men’s experience so we cannot rule out whether they have had similar encounters. Anecdotally, those men who have been asked ‘do you even like whisky’ felt it was in response to their relatively young age (under 35).
Whisky’s masculine image
16%
THINK THE INDUSTRY IS DOING ENOUGH TO CHANGE WHISKY’S MASCULINE IMAGE
89%
AGREED OR STRONGLY AGREED THAT CONSUMERS STILL WIDELY PERCEIVE WHISKY TO BE A MAN’S DRINK
67%
SAID WHISKY’S MASCULINE REPUTATION MAKES THEIR JOBS MORE CHALLENGING
Representation of women in whisky
16%
FEEL WOMEN ARE FAIRLY REPRESENTED IN WHISKY ADVERTISING AND MARKETING
16%
FEEL WOMEN ARE FAIRLY REPRESENTED IN INDUSTRY AWARDS
10%
FEEL WOMEN ARE FAIRLY REPRESENTED BY THE MEDIA
UNCONSCIOUS BIAS AND MICROAGGRESSIONS
OF RESPONDENTS WORK IN CONSUMER-FACING ROLES CONDUCTING TOURS OR TASTINGS
80%
OF THOSE WOMEN:
HAVE BEEN SPOKEN OVER OR HAD THEIR KNOWLEDGE QUESTIONED
89%
HAVE EXPERIENCED CUSTOMERS PREFERRING TO SPEAK TO A MALE COLLEAGUE
83%
MICROAGGRESSION
A COMMENT OR ACTION THAT SUBTLY AND OFTEN UNCONSCIOUSLY OR UNINTENTIONALLY EXPRESSES A PREJUDICED ATTITUDE TOWARD A MEMBER OF A MARGINALISED GROUP
SEXUAL HARASSMENT & DISCRIMINATION
OF RESPONDENTS HAVE EXPERIENCED INAPPROPRIATE OR SEXUAL REMARKS WHILE DOING THEIR JOB
70%
OF ALL RESPONDENTS HAVE BEEN INAPPROPRIATELY TOUCHED WHILE DOING THEIR JOB
33%
OF THOSE IN CONSUMER-FACING ROLES HAVE BEEN INAPPROPRIATELY TOUCHED WHILE DOING THEIR JOB
44%
HAVE FELT DISCRIMINATED AGAINST ON THE BASIS OF THEIR GENDER
74%
OF WOMEN IN CONSUMER-FACING ROLES HAVE BEEN ASKED BY THEIR EMPLOYER TO CHANGE THEIR APPEARANCE
26%
PARENTAL SUPPORT
70%
OF WOMEN AGED 25-30 WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE IMPACT PARENTHOOD WOULD HAVE ON THEIR CAREER
39%
BELIEVE THEIR COMPANY’S PARENTAL POLICIES ARE SUPPORTIVE ENOUGH, WHILE 34% WERE NOT SURE WHAT THE POLICIES WERE
41%
OF MOTHERS SAID THEY DID NOT FEEL SUPPORTED WHEN RETURNING TO WORK
“While the WHISKY industry appears to be taking steps towards inclusion and better representation, this survey clearly shows women feel they aren’t supported enough.
“IT’S TIME THE INDUSTRY SITS UP AND REALLY LISTENS TO WOMEN’S VOICES.
THESE INSTANCES OF SEXISM AND DISCRIMINATION ARE VERY REAL FOR WOMEN WORKING IN WHISKY AND CANNOT BE IGNORED. THE INDUSTRY NEEDS TO take THIS ISSUE extremely seriously.”
– BECKY PASKIN, FOUNDER, THE OURWHISKY FOUNDATION
The OurWhisky Foundation has identified several key areas businesses CAN focus on to tackle sexism in the industry:
Improve intersectional representation of women in advertising and marketing, while avoiding stereotyping
Introduce unconscious bias and diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) training for all staff, including senior leadership teams
Introduce bystander training and clear anti-harassment policies
Conduct a company pay audit and encourage salary transparency to ensure fair and equal pay
Allow flexible working hours and locations for all parents, not just women
The OurWhisky Foundation will be conducting further in-depth research to gauge the full extent of problems faced by women in the whisky industry.
For more information on our survey results and to enquire about how we can help your drinks company better support female employees, please contact us at info@ourwhiskyfoundation.com.