WSET launches new industry talk series

By James Bayley

Published: 20 November, 2023

The Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET), has launched a series of industry talks on its global Events Hub, hosted on YouTube. The series will explore key topics impacting the global drinks industry and bring together a diverse range of experts to share their knowledge.

The first talk, in collaboration with the Sustainable Wine Roundtable (SWR), will look at the impact of climate change on the global drinks industry.

Sipping sustainably: navigating climate change in the drinks industry takes place on Monday 27 November at 3pm GMT.

Read more: Spirits sales down 20% after August hikes

A panel of experts will discuss how extreme weather is changing the way crops grow, affecting water supplies across the world and forcing businesses to adapt and adopt new strategies to mitigate their impact. They will talk about the realities across the supply chain, how their organisations are taking action, and share practical advice.

The session will be chaired by Tom Owtram, GM of Sustainable Wine Roundtable, with panellists including, Michelle Bouffard DipWSET, sommelier, author and wine critic, Ruth King, program manager, Sustainable Winegrowing British Colombia, Rui Pedro Silva, sustainability and process engineering director, Cork Supply and Annabel Thomas, founder and chief executive, Nc'Nean Distillery.

Supporting WSET’s environmental, social and governance agenda, future sessions will include:

Changing drinking habits, no/low alcohol: panellists will discuss how the rise in mindful drinking is impacting the drinks business, how brands are evolving and creating new products to cater for this market, and how hospitality businesses are adapting to new drinking habits.

Creating a diverse industry: this session will look at the benefits of training for businesses and individuals, hospitality as a respected career path and why diversity is important within the drinks trade.

Corporate social responsibility: looking beyond environmental factors, this session will focus on the responsibility of businesses to place sustainability at the heart of their decision-making.

Ami Wilkinson, head of events and partnerships, at WSET, said: “We’re excited to be launching the first industry talk on our Events Hub, working in partnership with the Sustainable Wine Roundtable. The impact of climate change on the global drinks industry is an issue that affects all of us, so it’s great that we can facilitate and inspire conversations like this through our series of industry talks.”

The WSET launched the Events Hub in October 2021 to provide free and accessible educational content for drinks professionals and enthusiasts around the globe. WSET’s YouTube channel currently has over 52,000 subscribers with a monthly average of 65,000 views across its on-demand content.

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