Benchmarking: DEI in the Brewing Industry


Posted on May 22, 2022


Jalapeño Employee Engagement is proud to collaborate with Canadian Craft Brewers Association (CCBA) for their DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) mission: to understand the current state of DEI in the Canadian craft brewing industry.


Using our proprietary software - Jalapeño dashboard - we conducted an industry-wide survey to assess the diversity, inclusion and equity state in the craft brewing industry across Canada. The survey was conducted for the purpose of understanding what next steps and resources could be useful for brewery members to cultivate a diverse and inclusive workforce. Survey questions focused on 4 major matrices (Psychological Safety, Transparency, Inclusive Leadership, Policies & Programs) to analyze the state of workforce culture better.



More than 650 brewery members in Canada across 10 provinces and 3 territories participated in the survey that was rolled out in the summer of 2021. The survey report for each brewery was debriefed individually through a tailored presentation to all respective breweries, along with key findings and actionable insights. On top of this, a complimentary needs assessment review was also provided to help individual breweries plan ahead for their sustainable DEI-infused culture. The survey report was debriefed collectively for all the brewery members in Spring 2022 to share the overall analysis of the current DEI state in the brewery industry. The following results were concluded and formed a baseline for CCBA ‘s Committee members and brewery members to take future steps:

  • There is a lack of awareness of the desired DEI state within companies
  • Employees often don’t feel comfortable challenging existing ideas of the company pointing toward lack of overall psychological safety in the workplace
  • A low percentage of companies provide DEI training pointing towards the incorporation of DEI programs as a part of workplace orientation and general employee training


Now that the foundation and benchmarks have been established and the current state of DEI in the craft brewing industry is clear, CCBA plans on conducting the industry-wide survey again to track progress and provide resources for DEI culture building in the brewing industry.


Are you planning to create a people and culture benchmark whilst also looking to incorporate programs in your industry or your company?