Recent conversations around sexual harassment and gender-based violence in the craft brewing community, as well as ongoing conversations about inequity, discrimination, and injustice more broadly, continue to underscore the fact that in order to build a flourishing and inclusive brewing community, breweries, distributors, suppliers, and all businesses within the industry must be safe places that encourage respect, empowerment, and freedom from harassment or discrimination of any kind. 

We at the Brewers Association want to make it clear that we condemn any act of assault, harassment, violence, bigotry, discrimination, or inequity. 

Realizing our shared vision of a safe, inclusive, and equitable community will require a long-term, industry-wide effort, which the Brewers Association is prepared to lead.  

We acknowledge that we cannot and should not do this alone and will be calling upon other industry leaders and subject matter experts to collaborate in service to our community. The Brewers Association (BA), the American Society of Brewing Chemists (ASBC), the Craft Beer HR Professionals Group (CBHR), the Master Brewers Association of the Americas (MBAA), and the Pink Boots Society (PBS) have committed to forming a coalition to explore how our organizations can collaborate to provide the resources and support that businesses and individuals in the brewing industry need to create and maintain a culture of safety, inclusion, and equity. 

Alongside our diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, the Brewers Association will retain HR subject matter experts to work with the craft brewing community to build an ongoing pipeline of resources, as we do with technical brewing and government affairs. 

We will also be adding resources and speakers to address this topic at the Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) September 9-12 in Denver, with the MBAA continuing the conversation at its fall conference. 

Short term, the Brewers Association has worked with WeVow to help give members the tools to proactively address sexual harassment, while also offering resources and support for anyone who experiences it. As a benefit of BA membership, members receive 50% off their WeVow membership by using coupon code BA50. 

WeVow membership comes with these benefits: 

• Sexual harassment training 
  • One- and two-hour versions for employees and leaders 
  • Customized, interactive trainings 
• Incident reporting platform 
• Sample sexual harassment policy and workplace signage customized to your brand 
• Three free counseling sessions (typically in-person) for anyone who reports as a victim 
• One free hour of HR consulting any time you receive a report of sexual harassment 

There is more work to do, and this is just the beginning. We are dedicated to being solution-makers and invite you to join us.  

Here are some things we encourage all members to pursue:  

• Join WeVow. 
• Implement an anonymous employee reporting tool such as Red Flag Reporting or Lighthouse Services. 
• Review this CBC seminar from 2019: Ignorance Is NOT Bliss: Workplace Investigations Basics.  
• Share your HR resources with us so we can compile and share with the community at large. 
• If you are an HR professional with subject matter expertise on sexual harassment and assault and would like to speak at CBC or on a webinar, complete this form. 
• Volunteer to use your knowledge and experience on a BA Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) subcommittee by joining the waiting list here.
• Send your additional ideas to resources@brewersassociation.org.