Scotland’s biggest whisky distiller, Diageo, has created two scholarships, in partnership with Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, aimed at encouraging more females to take up STEM careers.

Over each of the next three years, the scholarships will provide two women studying a BSc in Brewing and Distilling and an MEng in Mechanical Engineering with paid internships, mentoring from senior women in our manufacturing business and funding for the duration of their degrees.

Diageo hopes that encouraging more female students into STEM careers could help provide a pipeline of talent for the future in areas specifically related to its business.

Gender Pay Gap Report

The announcement of the new scholarships follows on from the release of the company’s Gender Pay Gap Report. The report shows that in Diageo Scotland, the company’s manufacturing branch, females are generally earning less than males, with the median gender pay gap rising from 16.7% in 2017 to a current level of 18%.

Despite this, the gender pay gap throughout the company overall is shortening. Company-wide, the report showed an improvement in the median pay gap to +5.4% (2017: +8.6%) for Diageo employees. The mean pay gap also improved this year across these businesses to -3.5% (2017: +0.6%).

In the Diageo Great Britain business, the company has a median gender pay gap of -12.6% this year.

This position reflects the good progress made to date on developing, promoting and recruiting female talent into more senior roles within the company, according to Diageo. In 2018, the number of women in senior leadership positions globally at Diageo also increased to 34% (2017: 30%).

The company said it invests in job design to support flexible working to retain female talent; in coaching pre, during and post maternity leave; and in diversity training for senior leaders.

A company spokeserpson said: “In Diageo Scotland, we saw a reduction in the number of women opting for shift allowances for unsociable hours and the continuation of a long-term trend of manufacturing roles being filled by men.

“This year, we have recruited more women than men into entry level roles in our Scotland business; 50% of all promotions were women; 66% of graduates hired were women; and we placed female science undergraduates in our innovation lab in Menstrie.

“Our focus for our business in Scotland is to build a strong pipeline of future female leaders across both office and manufacturing roles and we are confident that we have the right plans in place to narrow this pay gap in the future.”

Overall, women make up 40% of the global Diageo Executive Committee and currently hold 34% of leadership roles. Following the retirement of two Non-Executive Directors in September 2018, three out of eight board positions are held by women. Diageo said it “intends to restore gender parity in due course”.

Mairéad Nayager, chief human resources officer, Diageo said: “We aim to be the best employer for women in the UK and are actively working to ensure we have a strong pipeline of female talent, across the broad variety of roles in our business.

“While there is more work to do, we are proud that our work on inclusion and diversity is making Diageo a stronger company and I am pleased with the progress we have made this year towards closing the gender pay gap across our combined businesses in Great Britain and Scotland.”