Pronghorn and the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) just announced a partnership that will increase hiring from within the Black community among leading spirits suppliers.
The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States is a voice and advocate for the U.S. spirits industry. Pronghorn is a standalone company focused on cultivating the next generation of Black entrepreneurs, executive leaders, and founders within the spirits industry. It was co-founded by spirits industry veterans Dia Simms, Erin Harris and Dan Sanborn.
According to Pronghorn research, while Black Americans represent 12 percent of alcohol consumers across categories, they make up just 7.8 percent of the sector's labor force and two percent of executives in the industry.
To address the employment gap, Pronghorn seeks to gain commitments from suppliers, distributors and retailers to fill 1,800 roles within the industry over the next 10 years.
The new initiative – led by Pronghorn in partnership with DISCUS and DISCUS members – seeks to identify qualified candidates from within the black community to fill positions from internships to the executive level in the distilled spirits industry and associated roles. Available positions will be posted at PRONGHORN.co/careers and the career pages of participating spirits suppliers.
“With this first of its kind industry-wide initiative, Pronghorn and DISCUS will correct the imbalance of underrepresented groups to reflect the market we serve,” said Dia Simms, co-founder of Pronghorn. “We are focused on granting access and removing barriers that have put Black people and other communities of color at a disadvantage when it comes to ownership, investing or just working within the spirits industry in general.”
Victoria Russell, chief diversity and inclusion officer, Beam Suntory, added, “As chair of the DISCUS DEI Committee, I’m proud and inspired by our collective efforts to increase representation and drive measurable change among distilled spirits suppliers and ensure equitable opportunities for Black talent within the industry.”
Chris Swonger, president and CEO, DISCUS and Responsibility.org, noted, “In addition to working hand-in-hand with Pronghorn to achieve equal representation for the Black community, DISCUS has developed educational content, available through the DISCUS Academy, which provides resources and tools to further advance potential talent. We are stronger together and will continue to support Pronghorn’s diversity initiatives by keeping pace with the rapid changes in the marketplace.”
Debra Crew, president at DIAGEO North America, explained, “We are committed to driving greater diversity in the spirits industry to help change the complexion of the beverage alcohol industry. As founding partners of Pronghorn, we are proud to contribute to the development of Black entrepreneurs and new brands, and it’s exciting to see investments and partnerships like these coming to fruition.”
In 2021, Diageo North America became an anchor investor in Pronghorn and committed dedicated resources to provide a deep and broad set of industry expertise that will supercharge Pronghorn’s investments in route to market strategies, trade and brand marketing, supply chain and manufacturing, among other key disciplines. The company's participation in Pronghorn is part of a broader program within Diageo North America, supporting diverse communities – including $10 million in permanent endowments across 25 historically Black colleges and universities in the United States and awarding grants in key cities to help hospitality industry businesses adjust to COVID-19 requirements.
Aspiring spirits industry professionals can visit Pronghorn.co for more information on current and future opportunities. They can also visit the career pages of participating DISCUS Member suppliers, including: Bacardi, Beam Suntory, Brown-Forman, Campari Group, CIE, Constellation Brands, DIAGEO, Edrington, Hotaling, Jägermeister, MGP, MHW, Moet Hennessy USA, Ole Smoky, Pernod Ricard, Remy Cointreau, William Grant & Sons and Uncle Nearest and Old Dominick.
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