Sexism, harassment and inflexibility drive women out of winemaking, survey reveals
A member of the Australian Grape and Wine Diversity, Equality and Inclusion committee, Corrina Wright has become an advocate for women in wine. (ABC News: Lincoln Rothall)
In short:
Charles Sturt University has carried out a nationwide study into gender equity in the wine industry.
The main factors contributing to women leaving the industry were identified including sexism, discrimination and a lack of flexibility.
What's next?
Wine Australia and Australian Grape and Wine have released an online gender equity toolkit to help businesses improve gender equity.
There has been a major increase in female winemaker representation in the past decade, but there is still a long way to go before equality is reached, those in the industry say.
WARNING: This story contains details of sexual assault and language some readers may find distressing.
The winemaking industry is made up of just 36 per cent women, despite equal numbers of men and women studying the topic at university.
While there has been a steady increase in representation, industry bodies say there is still a long way to go.
Wine Australia and Australian Grape and Wine, with its Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEIW) Committee, commissioned a study by Charles Sturt University looking at when and why women leave the profession.
The results point to sexual assault, discrimination and a lack of flexibility which leave women feeling they have no choice but to quit.
'Everyone's got their own story'
Several participants in the study reported either being subjected to, or witnessing, sexual harassment and assault in the workplace.
Fear of retaliation meant many incidents went unreported.
"He put his hand up her skirt, and she said, 'you can't do that'. She got fired the next day,"one former winemaker said.
Another participant recalled being told by a senior male that "women in wineries were for making coffee and giving blow jobs".
Incoming chair of Australian Grape & Wine and member of the DEIW Committee, Helen Strachan, has worked across legal and corporate affairs at multiple global wine businesses.
"We certainly had experience of sexual harassment and assault," Ms Strachan said.
"I think most companies would say the same thing if they're being truthful and honest."
The newly appointed chair of Australian Grape and Wine, Helen Strachan, says the industry is ready for change. (ABC News: Lincoln Rothall)
South Australian winemaker and director of Oliver's Taranga Vineyards, Corrina Wright, who is also on the DEIW Committee, said she had seen it throughout her career.
"I can remember having a conversation with one of my [former] colleagues who was in charge of putting in the cellar staff," Ms Wright said.
"He was like 'oh well I can't hire that person because she's too hot and she'll upset all the guys because they'll all be looking at her'.
"Or 'she's not hot enough, so that'll upset the guys because they won't be able to look at her'."
Women said they felt pressured to conform and be seen as "one of the boys", risking physical safety to "prove" themselves.
A leak in the pipeline
One of the biggest contributors to women leaving the industry was the difficulty retaining a job when they had children.
"There has always been this culture of, you go into vintage … you have nothing else on in your life other than the fact that you've got to work 18 hours a day," Ms Strachan said.
"That's actually not safe, it's not sustainable from a career perspective. It's also not compatible with what a lot of women want, which is to be able to balance a productive work life with being a parent."
Corrina Wright is part of the sixth generation in her family to run their McLaren Vale vineyard. (ABC News: Lincoln Rothall)
Ms Wright was able to remain working while having children by sharing a role with a friend and fellow new mother.
"Great timing, the right people that fit together, and we were able to stand up for ourselves to actually make it happen," Ms Wright said.
"A lot of people were expected to come straight back after they've had babies, or not leave at all, or just lost their job."
Can't be what you can't see
Men held 100 per cent of CEO or equivalent roles in the grape-growing industry last financial year, according to the Workplace Gender Equality Agency.
According to the Australian Tax Office, female winemakers earn on average $14,000 less than men annually, and $18,000 less as a viticulturalist.
Employers with 100 or more employees are required to report to the agency, meaning many wine businesses are not included.
"It's a very fragmented industry with lots of small-to-medium sized enterprises," University of Adelaide viticulture and oenology senior lecturer Jill Bauer said.
"You can reach ceilings very quickly in places like that."
Not for a lack of trying
Gender equality at the university level has been relatively constant for some time, with winemakers recalling an equal split during their study in the 90's.
Ms Bauer said female students were aware they would be the minority post graduation.
Jill Bauer tries to connect her viticulture students with industry members, supporting graduates however she can. (ABC News: Lincoln Rothall)
"They are a fairly robust group that come to study with us. We have a very practical-based program, you're getting your hands dirty," Ms Bauer said.
"You can't progress through this degree as a shrinking violet, you have to have a certain amount of guts to you."
Open to change
Ms Strachan said the urgency of the issue should not be underestimated.
"I know that people roll their eyes sometimes when some of us talk about this topic," she said.
"But this is not a women problem. It's making sure that the proper conversations are happening in any workplace, to ensure that we're retaining all of the talent that we can."
Ms Strachan says there is a pressing need to address the issue. (ABC News: Lincoln Rothall)
As a result of the study, a free toolkit has been released for the wine industry, providing practical steps to get businesses thinking about gender equity.
"It's usually not from bad intent that people will allow a culture of harassment to flourish in their environment," Ms Strachan said.
"But if you're a smaller business, sometimes you just don't know where to start."