DMHT aims to empower women and the poor

However, without proper education and opportunity to develop their work skills, the potential to bring women-who currently comprise 70 per cent of the world’s poorest-out of poverty, remains elusive.
Jayne Harvey, managing director, Diageo Moet Hennessy (Thailand) or DMHT said that despite women comprising two-thirds of the world’s labour force, they continued to earn only 10per cent of total global income. Asia Pacific is considered one of the most affected regions in regards to gender inequality issues. Educating women in the region is required to empower the community’s role as the foundation of sustainable national and global development. Additionally, countries with lower gender inequality rates tend to have a higher capacity in development and competitiveness.
She added that Plan W is a global community investment programme by Diageo with an aim to empower women, comprised of four activity pillars:
1.Further strengthen diversity policies and practices as part of our ongoing commitment to workplace diversity, 2. Increase women’s knowledge and capacity by delivering skills’ training in the hospitality sector, 3. Working with partners, train women and men in marginalised communities to better their prospects, as well as support social entrepreneurs, and 4. Raise awareness among consumers through campaigns led by Diageo’s brands.
Diageo and partners have arranged multiple Plan W activities throughout Asia Pacific, such as the Arthur Guinness fund for community businesses in Indonesia, and strengthening actions for empowerment of women through economic opportunities in Nepal. Diageo is also a signatory to the United Nations Women’s Empowerment Principles (UNWEP) of 2013 and the first beverage alcohol company to sign up to UNWEP.
“Strikingly in Thailand, 60per cent of female workers are unskilled with only elementary level education. They are facing crucial problems such as low income and heavy workloads.
The Plan W Thailand programme aims to lessen the gap between genders and relieve the socio-economic differences in remote areas by offering knowledge and improving necessary work skills for women in need,” Harvey added.
In 2013 in Thailand, DMHT initiated “Plan W Nongtakem” in partnership with MechaiViravaidya Foundation at Nongtakem village in the Buri Ram province.
The project covers over 170 households through gender equality promotion activities such as community farming, funding for women to strengthen their economic capacity, and training for community members who seek to change and improve their quality of life.
Within two years of operations, Plan W Nongtakem has supported an initiative to empower 6,000 villagers, both male and female; while inspiring over 2,500 people to visit the village. For more details, watch the video on “Plan W Nongtakem” at http://bit.ly/1VhQjuH.
Moreover, DMHT has partnered with Kenan Institute Asia and Hilton Worldwide in a “Plan W Empowering hospitality women through learning” programme which delivers interpersonal skills courses designed specifically for women in the hospitality industry.
The content of the training includes communication, teamwork, and problem solving, which are all essential in their line of work, while equally introducing responsible drinking information through the “DRINKiQ” programme.
The programme has been delivered to 662 of Hilton’s female employees of whom 93 per cent have reported satisfaction with the course and 92 per cent stated the high applicability of the course content to their jobs. In addition, Diageo has arranged for other workshops in capacity development such as how to dress in order to improve personality and thrive for success, a self-defense course, and financial management training.
“Diageo and 17 partners in the hospitality industry and non-governmental organisations have initiated 32 programmes in 12 countries. Fifteen-thousand women have benefited, with another 75,000 people positively affected by Plan W.
Diageo is committed to the empowerment of women, in promoting their roles and abilities in organisations and improving their quality of life, as well as those close to them,” Harvey said.
Plan W is Diageo’s US$10 million strategy to empower two million women across all socio-economic profiles through training and skills development in 17 countries in the Asia Pacific by 2017.