Trailblazing women: Navigating careers in the drinks industry

Fresh off the back of London Cocktail Week, Allara Global’s CEO, Andrew Lewis, recently caught up with Anna Sebastian, renowned hospitality consultant and founder of Celebrate Her, a UK NFP aimed at elevating female talent in the hospitality industry.

London Cocktail Week is always a significant event in the drinks industry calendar, and this year was truly exceptional.  As a London native, I‘ve witnessed its evolution over the years, to find that perfect sweet spot of delivering value to both consumers and industry.  It offers a vibrant, engaging, educational, and accessible experience for all. Not only does the festival boost profit for bars, but also attracts a whole new customer base.  Industry professionals from all over the world flock to London to participate in the range of events on offer, from takeovers, seminars, roundtables, and educational panels, many organised by Pernod Ricard’s SIP Sessions (Share Inspire Pioneer).

There is a palpable shift in how women are influencing the conversation around cocktails, from managing venues and businesses, to redefining cocktail competitions. I joined a panel on women in hospitality where we shared our perspectives on how we can break down barriers and create a more inclusive and equitable industry. Here are the four key takeaways that emerged from our conversation about the present and future:

Community, provides hospitality professionals with a sense of belonging, support, and shared purpose that enhances both personal and collective well-being.  With Celebrate Her we found that 97 per cent of our members value community above all else, followed by networking events and educational opportunities. Celebrate Her started as a small group of less than 20 women. Now it’s a thriving and growing community of nearly 400, represented on every continent, providing a safe space to network, connect, chat and share information. To address one of the biggest challenges faced by women in hospitality, we’re launching “Celebrate Mothers” within this supportive community.

Mothership. One of the most overlooked, yet significant challenges for women in the hospitality industry, is balancing career progression with motherhood. The demanding nature of the drinks industry, with its long hours and often late nights, can make it incredibly difficult for women to juggle their professional responsibilities alongside family life.  This is an untapped conversation that needs more attention. In 2025 we will launch “Celebrate Mothers”, a year-long campaign to address this challenge, and join the conversation to amplify the voices of mothers in the industry around the world.

Navigating and negotiating. This broader topic covered the challenges women experience in navigating their careers, cocktail competitions, as well negotiating for better opportunities and pay increases. With the gender pay gap being significant all around the world, women are looking for more support and resources to develop these essential negotiation skills and build confidence as they advance in their careers.  Maybe this is an opportunity for brands to extend their support beyond the bar and invest in empowering women within our industry.

Safety and Security. Perhaps the greatest and most relatable topic for women, across the globe, is safety, especially for those working unsociable hours. Challenges range from getting home safely to dealing with unwanted behaviour from guests, colleagues and even bystanders. Alcohol, drugs, poorly lit streets, and late working hours are all factors that play into a wider problem. A study by UN Women UK showed that 97 per cent of women have been subjected to some form of harassment or assault, with 70 per cent of women in the UK experiencing sexual assault. This highlights the urgent need for action to address this widespread issue.

The importance of this final topic on safety has been raised within the Celebrate Her community, that I launched in 2019. We recently attended the Women’s Night Safety Charter Summit in London. The event focused on solutions and strategies to prevent harassment and violence and change the narrative around women’s safety.

The key point raised was the need for easily accessible resources and training. Creating a safe workplace was a central theme. This involves establishing clear objectives, a formal policy with clear reporting procedures, and well-defined consequences for any violations.

We require a culture of trust with senior leaders, who need to operate a zero-tolerance policy for any type of harassment.

Image 1 shows the key talking points around education and training:

Understanding and asking why women feel unsafe helps identify types of behaviour and provide solutions and an open dialogue. Image 2 shows what was discussed during the summit.

We must strive to create better workplaces with supportive colleagues, comprehensive training, and a deeper understanding of one another. And of course, we must each commit to being the best, most informed version of ourselves. Each of us has a role to play in creating a safer and more inclusive industry. Call out inappropriate behaviour when you see it, check in on your colleagues, intervene when necessary and make brave choices that prioritise safety and respect.

Coming away from these events, it’s clear that open communication is crucial for driving meaningful change. By sharing experiences and fostering solidarity, we can create and implement actionable plans to address the challenges faced by women in the industry.

To end on a positive note, the hospitality industry is something we all need, it is the heart and soul of key moments in millions of people’s lives. We can all do something to make it better.  The rise of women in the industry should be celebrated and encouraged. However, the progress should not come at the expense of any other community, but rather an integral part of a broader movement towards a truly inclusive and balanced playing field where all talent can thrive, regardless of gender.

Find out more about Celebrate Her here.

Find out more about hospitality training solutions by Allara Global here.