Women of the Vine & Spirits CEO wins Drinks Innovator Award

Deborah Brenner, Founder & CEO of Women of the Vine & Spirits and 86 Harassment Council Member, has been awarded the SevenFifty Daily 2024 Drinks Innovator Award for galvanizing the beverage alcohol and hospitality industries to address sexual harassment through the groundbreaking Women of the Vine & Spirits key initiative, 86 Harassment.

SevenFifty Daily’s Drinks Innovators program honors individuals who are working to address issues in the drinks industry, such as creating more equitable workplaces and making positive change through collective effort. The 2024 class of honorees represents a diverse group of visionaries who are elevating our workplaces to create a more dynamic and diverse beverage alcohol industry.

Launched in March of this year, 86 Harassment offers education, customized training and confidential survivor support through a 24/7 confidential, crisis hotline in English and Spanish. 86 Harassment aims to create a model that can be duplicated by other industries worldwide emphasizing a collective commitment to fostering safer environments and industries at-large. Rooted in the belief that everyone deserves a safe and respectful workplace free of harm, 86 Harassment is an accessible resource to support employers, employees, and patrons alike at no cost.

Deborah accepts the recognition on behalf of the entire 86 Harassment Council and Industry Sponsors, who has been instrumental in financially supporting the development and growth of 86 Harassment.

“I am incredibly humbled to have received this recognition and to accept it on behalf of everyone who worked so hard to make 86 Harassment a reality,” said Deborah Brenner, Founder & CEO of Women of the Vine & Spirits and 86 Harassment Council Member. “This recognition reflects the phenomenal support of our industry sponsors who have committed financial support, many hours, brain power, and innovation to the creation and evolution of 86 Harassment. I can’t thank the team at Brown Forman, Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, Pernod Ricard, Republic National Distributing Company, Spirits Canada, and Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America enough — this recognition is for all of us.”

86 Harassment resources

86 Harassment provides employers and employees with the following free resources:

1. Customized Training for the beverage alcohol and hospitality industries on setting boundaries and bystander intervention, including “Creating A Safer Community,” developed and conducted by RAINN, the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization (www.rainn.org), and “Active Bystander Intervention” and “De-Escalation Training” for hospitality staff developed and conducted by Safe Bars (www.safebars.org). Additional training to be announced.
2. Industry-specific Dedicated Confidential Crisis Intervention Hotline operated by staff at RAINN. Telephone Crisis Intervention Services available in English and Spanish. The hotline staff are available 24/7 to support communities with industry-specific crisis intervention, empathetic listening, and warm handoffs to designated local service providers. The Hotline provides quality, anonymous, and confidential crisis intervention services in English and Spanish to support survivors within our industries.
3. Centralized Resource Hub including glossary key terms and phrases, articles, reports, newsletters, and educational resources for anyone in the beverage alcohol and hospitality industries.Handouts, toolkits, postcards, flyers, stickers, posters, available to download, print and post on walls on-premise, off-premise, offices and use at conferences, and events.

Become an Industry Sponsor of 86 Harassment | Industry Sponsors are invited to join 86 Harassment by committing to financial support, gaining industry-wide recognition, and participating in the initiative’s council.