Join the Safe Bars P.A.C.T. Initiative to start changing beverage industry culture

In May 2021, Instagram exploded with over 1,000 personal stories of gender-based harassment and violence in the craft beverage industry through the profile of former Notch Brewing Production Manager, Brienne Allan. But this was just a small insight into this problem that has plagued the beverage industry for quite some time. The beverage industry continues to harm those it seeks to marginalize and keep vulnerable. There has recently been a growth in the collective awareness of gender-based inequities within beverage alcohol culture, in identifying harassment, abuse, and assault in hospitality workspaces and drinking spaces.

Transforming beverage culture begins with us, and the Safe Bars P.A.C.T. Initiative is a collaborative response by beverage industry professionals to do just that.

The Safe Bars P.A.C.T. Initiative was created by a team of founding partners — Andrew Coplon of Craft Beer Professionals, Safe Bars, Julie Rhodes of Not Your Hobby Marketing Solutions, Dana Kaluzny of Social Impact Projects, and Lady Justice Brewing — and was assisted by RadCraft and HalfDay Studio. Pre-launch, more than 60 U.S. craft breweries have expressed interest in joining the P.A.C.T.

Challenging the status quo requires resources and proper training for business owners and staff, of course. Adopting The Safe Bars P.A.C.T. (Promise of Awareness, Compassion, and Trust) code of conduct and getting Safe Bars Certification Training is a proactive solution that owners, operators, and team members can implement now, and for the long term. You can do this by:

• Adopting the Safe Bars P.A.C.T. ‘s model code of conduct — “Our House, Our Rules” — and having everyone on your team sign it;
• Having your team take the Safe Bars’ 2.5-hour active bystander training on preventing and interrupting harassment. This assists beverage organizations in fostering safer and more respectful working and drinking spaces for team members and customers.

In changing our organizational cultures, beverage industry professionals can work and socialize together with confidence, safety, and respect. The Safe Bars P.A.C.T. Initiative unites beverage industry professionals and trade associations who want to proactively make a long-term commitment to establishing safer, more respectful work and drinking spaces for employees and consumers.

Breweries, other beverage manufacturers, trade groups, and others who want to join the P.A.C.T. can follow the four simple steps on the Safe Bars P.A.C.T. Initiative website: www.safebarspact.org.