On the journey to true inclusion in Scotch whisky

The progress made to date deserves recognition –more gender-balanced boards, pay-gap figures edging in the right direction, and inclusivity initiatives by key players winning external recognition.

Women are increasingly shaping whisky’s creative and technical leadership. Figures such as Kelsey McKechnie, Malt Master at The Balvenie, Dr Emma Walker, Master Blender for Johnnie Walker, and Annabel Thomas, founder of Nc’nean, are rewriting long-held assumptions.

For me, Compass Box has a particularly credible take on intentional, long-term commitment in this space. In August, it appointed Angela D’Orazio as creative director of whisky making. She has consistently advocated for women in roles traditionally dominated by men and her appointment reinforces sustained efforts at the firm to elevate female contributions.

A significant moment came in 2018, when women formed a majority of the firm’s workforce for the first time. To mark that milestone, Compass Box released Hedonism: The Muse, becoming the first Scotch whisky to place a woman on its label.But today the industry is contending with a more difficult macro-climate –from shifting political forces to testing tariffs and softening sales. Financial and political turbulence has a habit of reshuffling priorities.In many companies, diversity, quality and inclusion (DEI) investment is at risk. Yet history tells us the opposite should be true. When uncertainty rises and companies must adapt, psychological safety becomes essential. Cultures either fracture or strengthen in these moments, and a sense of belonging is often the deciding factor.

However, much of the work to combat disparity comes from outside formal corporate systems. The OurWhisky Foundation – which I am proud to advise – is a powerful example. Over the past few years, more than 200 women and non-binary professionals have completed its mentoring programmes, with close to a third stepping into new or more senior roles within a year.

Yet the need for such efforts underlines how far there is still to go. The OurWhisky’s first global survey of women working in whisky gathered insight from nearly 600 professionals, and the results were telling – 87 per cent said women still face more challenges than men; 89 per cent said consumers continue to view whisky as a man’s drink; and 70 per cent reported inappropriate or sexual remarks at work. These statistics represent patterns that need to be addressed. Industry figures like writer and educator Kristiane Westray have been instrumental in naming these systemic issues, and she specifically notes a lack of effective mechanisms for addressing gender-based harassment in hospitality. She warns: “If only white, middle-class, cisgender women advance, then the industry has simply shifted who counts as insiders without altering the underlying structure.”

My own research, Breaking the Mould, also addressed stubborn stereotypes and their effects on the experiences of senior female leaders in whisky. Even in culturally progressive environments, they reported an unspoken pressure to adjust aspects of their identity to be seen as credible. Whether moderating communication style or downplaying their natural instincts, this “identity tax” silently erodes confidence, creativity and long-term retention.

These pressures are compounded by whisky’s long-standing cultural image. Despite a growing number of disruptive examples, whisky has been seen for generations as a man’s drink – serious and stoic. These cues persist in tasting rooms, marketing campaigns and wider society.If people cannot see themselves reflected in a sector, they are less likely to enter it – as consumers or as future leaders. Put simply, you cannot diversify who drinks whisky without diversifying who shapes it.

The infrastructure for gender diversity is largely in place. Most senior executives I know do not need convincing of the benefits of inclusivity, and much has been achieved. But the next chapter requires something deeper – organisational cultures where all identities and personality types are openly treated as assets, where inclusivity efforts are elevated during challenging economic cycles, and where the stories whisky tells purposely reflect the diversity of the people who love and make it. Or those who could love and make it – given the chance.

Jennie Norrish is a former board director at Chivas Brothers, Pernod Ricard, who now consults across the industry, and runs the Athenaship leadership development practice