A new survey of 726 respondents has found that almost half (44%) of women working in the UK wine industry are considering leaving the industry due to gender-based challenges.
Curious Vines, an online platform that connects women in the wine industry, partnered with market research firm Proof Insight to conduct the research, which surveyed 726 participants to investigate women’s experiences in the wine industry.
Sexism, sexism and harassment were identified as major issues facing women in the UK wine industry, with 78% of survey respondents stating that sexism and sexism were key issues to address.
The lack of women in leadership roles and discrimination in pay and working conditions were among the main issues identified by women participating in the research.
More than three quarters (76%) of respondents feel women are under-represented in leadership roles, and half (54%) believe discriminatory pay and conditions are a problem in the UK wine industry.
The bulk of responses came from women between the ages of 25 and 44, and half of those surveyed had worked in the industry for 10 years or more.
The research also highlighted the challenges faced by women returning from maternity leave, noting that the lack of flexible working is a major challenge for those with caring responsibilities.
More than one in three women in the wine industry have experienced harassment on the job, and the issue disproportionately affects women in the hospitality industry.
“As a mother of a young daughter, what really struck me was that 50% of women aged 18-34 have already experienced sexual harassment at work, which to me is something that needs to be addressed immediately,” said Queena Wong, founder of Curious Vines, in a presentation about the research yesterday.
The issues of harassment extend beyond the wine industry. According to a survey by the OurWhisky Foundation published in August, a third of women working in the whisky industry have been touched inappropriately, 87% feel they face greater challenges in the workplace than their male counterparts, and 70% report having been subjected to inappropriate or sexual remarks while on the job.
To put these figures into context, data collected by the Trades Union Congress (TUC), the UK’s national trade union body, shows that more than one in two women and nearly seven in 10 LGBT workers have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace. Half of women who have experienced sexual harassment said they have been subjected to unwanted sexual jokes at work more than six times in their lifetime.
The types of sexual harassment reported to the union range from inappropriate and derogatory comments or “jokes” of a sexual nature to unwanted touching, sexual assault and rape. 32% of women have experienced unwanted jokes of a sexual nature and more than one in ten women reported unwanted sexual touching or kissing at work. One in eight lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) women reported serious sexual assault or rape at work.
Wong announced that in light of the responses, she has pledged to run the first women's safety workshop for Curious Vines members and friends in the first quarter of 2024.
“With appropriate industry support, this could be the beginning of ongoing awareness and education on dealing with some of the issues that arise from this survey,” she said.
However, research has found that without the right action, the industry could be at risk of losing talent, with 44% of women reporting they have considered leaving the wine industry due to the challenges it faces.
“Inaction could be at the industry’s expense,” warned Alice Goody, head of insights at Proof Insight, who led the presentation.
“What we’re worried about is that there’s a real risk here that, if action isn’t taken, this could be a real drain on talent within the industry, and that women might look towards more progressive industries for their careers that are actually doing something about these issues,” she said.
Survey participants indicated that training and mentoring programmes are key to improving women’s career prospects in the industry, with a particular focus on negotiation and assertive communication.
“We found that mentors had a really positive impact on women’s careers,” Judy said.
“Our considerations for the industry here at this point are first and foremost to recognize that these barriers exist, and then work to remove them,” she continued.
Proof Insight and Curious Vines have already presented their findings to nearly 20 major industry bodies, “anticipating that this will be a turning point for the industry in addressing some of these issues,” Wong said.
Attendees included, but were not limited to: WSTA, Drinks Trust, WSET, IMW, Court of Master Sommeliers Europe, UK Sommelier Academy, WineGB, Plumpton College, Gerard Bassett Foundation, JancisRobinson.com.
