Thu | Jan 2, 2025

Red Stripe wins inaugural JMEA Inclusivity award

Published:Friday | October 11, 2024 | 12:07 AM
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Red Stripe employees share a photo with team members from the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA), Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), UNAIDS and Jamaican Network of Seropositives (JN+)
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Red Stripe employees share a photo with team members from the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA), Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), UNAIDS and Jamaican Network of Seropositives (JN+). From left (standing): JMEA Senior Development and Programme Officer Johnoi Elliston; JMEA Executive Director Kamesha Turner Blake; Red Stripe Brand & Corporate PR Manager Tyheissa Williams; Red Stripe Head of Reporting & Accounting Maizene Porter; Red Stripe Junior Brand Manager Arnaldo Martin; Red Stripe Managing Director Daaf van Tilburg, Red Stripe Legal Manager Howard Harris; PIOJ Public Health Specialist Denise McFarlane; UNAIDS Community Support Officer Jaevion Nelson; Red Stripe Head of Corporate Affairs Dianne Ashton-Smith; JMEA hostess Alexcia DePass and Red Stripe Production Manager Sheldon Sharpe. From left are (seated): Senior Public Health Specialist, CDC Prevention Team Lead Janique Ricketts; Red Stripe People and Organisation Development Manager Tanya-Kay Williams; JN+ Community Facilitator Joan Stephen and JN+ Policy & Advocacy Officer Jaemar Johnson.
US Ambassador to Jamaica N. Nickolas Perry (left) presents the début Inclusivity Champion Award to Red Stripe Managing Director Daaf van Tilburg (right).
Contributed
US Ambassador to Jamaica N. Nickolas Perry (left) presents the début Inclusivity Champion Award to Red Stripe Managing Director Daaf van Tilburg (right).
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As the call for inclusivity gains momentum across companies islandwide, Red Stripe, part of the HEINEKEN Company, became the first company to receive the Inclusivity Champion Award at the 2024 Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA) M&E Awards held recently.

“At JMEA, we decided to honour a company that is leading the charge in creating a stigma-free, inclusive workplace where everyone has the chance to thrive. Red Stripe has demonstrated this through their workplace culture and organisational structure. With this award, we are showcasing that they are breaking barriers and fostering true inclusivity. So, as we advocate for the elimination of stigma and discrimination, particularly within the manufacturing and exporting sectors, we look forward to seeing more companies enhance their internal frameworks to cultivate an inclusive and equitable workplace for all employees and customers,” said Johnoi Elliston, JMEA Senior Development and Programme Officer and project lead for the association’s Beyond Labels: Manufacturing, A Stigma-Free Workplace initiative.

The Inclusivity Champion Award is sponsored by Beyond Labels – an initiative led by the JMEA with support from the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). Judged by an esteemed panel from PEPFAR, CDC, and UNAIDS, the award was presented by U.S. Ambassador to Jamaica, N. Nickolas Perry.

“We are deeply honoured to be recognised in an area that is at the heart of our company. While receiving the Jamaica Productivity Centre (JPC) Competitiveness Award is a significant achievement, we are equally proud of the Inclusivity Champion Award, as it highlights the culture we’ve cultivated for our employees – a workplace where every voice is valued, and everyone is empowered to contribute meaningfully. At Red Stripe, caring for people is at our core, and we remain committed to upholding the highest standards of inclusivity to ensure this remains a key part of our identity,” shared Red Stripe Managing Director Daaf van Tilburg.

MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

To ensure it seamlessly champions inclusivity, Red Stripe has implemented comprehensive workplace policies designed to cultivate a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment. As part of this commitment, the company launched the Women Empowerment through Collaboration, Allyship, and Networking (WE CAN) initiative, spearheaded by its Employee Resource Group (ERG) Committee. This 12-member team is dedicated to empowering and advocating for the growth of female employees and allies within Red Stripe and the broader community.

Since the establishment of the ERG Committee and the launch of WE CAN in September 2022, Red Stripe has spearheaded numerous initiatives. These include a Women’s Day Power Brunch, featuring speakers such as Krystal Tomlinson of Success Farm and Amy Whiteman of Velvet Suite, a global female owned and led consultancy based in the United States which focuses on building the capacity of women in leadership. Red Stripe has also hosted Lunch and Learn sessions with Financial Wellness Expert Kalilah Reynolds and partnered with The University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Unit to provide mentorship and sponsorship opportunities.

“We will remain committed to prioritising our employees’ well-being and growth, and we wholeheartedly welcome increased partnerships with like-minded organisations to amplify our impact in the community,” added Tilburg.

At this year’s JMEA M&E Awards, Red Stripe also received the Productivity Centre and Competitiveness Award.

Red Stripe is one of Jamaica’s leading corporate entities employing just under 300 full-time employees and approximately one thousand contractors, producing the world-famous Red Stripe™ beer, which was first brewed in Jamaica in 1928. Dubbed the Beer of Jamaica, Red Stripe has earned the distinction of having 16 Monde Selection Awards for Quality, among numerous other awards. It is also brewed in the United Kingdom under licence and is now available in over 25 markets around the world.