Stronger Together theme arose due to the need to acknowledge the work of women in the coffee industry and create visibility of the different roles women hold across the value chain.
The event was held during the Melbourne International Coffee Expo 2022 week at the premises of one of the well-recognised local roasteries, Axil Coffee Roasters at their Melbourne Central store. Over a hundred people attended the event and had the opportunity to meet the IWCA Australian leaders and listen to a panel discussion that addressed the barriers women face in the different facets of the supply chain.
The goal of this event was to bring the coffee community together to learn and create awareness of the challenges and barriers women in the coffee industry face independently of their roles and years of experience; understanding that everyone has different backgrounds with unique experiences and different needs.
30% of the attendants were men that hold different roles in the industry. This number is important to highlight because it aligns with one of our objectives of encouraging more men and non-binary people to get involved in our gender equality mission.
The Australian Chapter leaders invited Demelza Jones, member of the Chapter, founder of Same Cup and an advocate of gender equality to moderate the discussion.
Amongst the panelists were:
- Farmer, Lucy Stocker owner of Crater Mountain Coffee in Australia
- Exporter, Andreza Mazarao, Coffee Trader for Grupo Farroupilha in Brazil
- Education, Tina Yerkes, CEO of Coffee Quality Institute (CQI) in United States
- Importer, Yanina Ferreyra, Green Bean Buyer and International Sales for Project Origin in Australia
- Roaster, Lucy Ward, Green Bean Buyer for St ALi. in Australia
- Equipment, Ashleigh Milla-Carpenter, Technician for BrewTech/La’Marzocco in Australia
- Cafe/Hospitality, Georgia Macki owner of Seedlings Cafe in Australia
All panellists shared their coffee journeys and individual experiences, highlighting the challenges and the level of support they have had along their journey.
Our summary to an incredible session was:
- Break gender stereotypes by eliminating assumptions about the role women play within the coffee industry.
- Identify the needs of each individual and create open and encouraging spaces for everyone, but particularly women to be heard in the workplace.
- The importance of celebrating all roles in the industry and individual workplaces without striving to reach ‘the top’.
- I.e: Challenging the notions of success in order to celebrate diversity and equal share
- Understanding that all women in positions of leadership are setting the tone for other women to aspire to. If you can see it you can be it.
- There are common gendered differences between perceptions of qualifications needed to be successful. For example asking for raises, applying for jobs and acknowledging skills.
- If you are a leader of a team, practice inclusive leadership by embracing being empathetic and acknowledging the diversity of people and perspectives. Staff will feel valued and supported.
- More mentorship for women in coffee is needed; to help them find their voice and value to make their way up. Effective mentorship for women doesn’t have to only come from women.
This event wouldn’t be possible without the support and contributions of our community.
We would like to say thank you to our:
- Gold Sponsors: Axil Coffee Roasters, Califia Farms and Dalla Corte
- Silver sponsors: Condesa CoLab, Riverina Fresh and Upstream Imports.
- Prize sponsors: BeanScene Magazine, The Global Coffee Report Magazine, Barista Supplies, Same Cup, Ezicaf Solutions, Five Senses Coffee and Amy Schubert.
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