CEO DATELINE - Brewers Association making changes to address racism in industry
CEO DATELINE - Brewers Association making changes to address racism in industry
- July 21, 2020 |
-
Walt Williams
The Brewers Association is in the process of drafting its first code of conduct for membership amid allegations the group has not done enough to punish members for racist behavior.
Consider joining CEO Update. Membership gives full access to the latest intelligence on association management, career advancement, compensation trends and networking events, as well as hundreds of listings for senior-level association jobs.
Many people on social media have taken BA to task in recent weeks for its perceived silence on a series of racist incidents involving member breweries, according to the industry news site Brewhound, One incident involved the CEO of Minneapolis brewery who allegedly waved a rope that looked like a noose in front of a Black employee while saying "come here boy." The CEO has since resigned. Another incident involves a settlement in a racial discrimination lawsuit brought against a Grand Rapids, Mich.-based brewery.
In a letter to members published on BA's website, CEO Bob Pease said the group has heard the complaints.
"Our limited public response to date has not been sufficient for many but it does not equate to apathy," Pease said.
Pease noted BA currently does not have a process for revoking membership and lacks a code of conduct for members. However, he added that association staff, the board of directors and the governance committee is working with the group's diversity committee "to correct the bylaw and governance document gaps."
Specifically, the group is exploring updating its bylaws, drafting its first code of conduct for membership and setting up a complaint process to review claims made against members.
Pease also said the association plans to hold itself to a higher standard on diversity. The diversity committee is developing an equity scorecard that will be used to benchmark progress and guide decision-making at BA. The committee is also nearing completion of a mentorship program to bring new and diverse people into the craft brewery industry.
"Although we know that we have much more work to do, we hope these steps will promote positive change in making the Brewers Association and the craft brewing community a more inclusive and respectful environment," Pease said.
MORE CEO DATELINE