Jorgie Hunt talks to myGwork about how she has fostered LGBTQIA inclusivity at Diageo
BY DYLAN MANN-HAZELL
Jorgie Hunt grew up in Warwick, a small town in the midlands of England, known for its famous castle and rich history. Despite the town’s quaint charm, Jorgie always found herself longing for more vibrant experiences and new horizons – a fiery passion for exploration that inspires her even now. This yearning was further cemented through being raised in a household where Jorgie was encouraged to be whoever she wanted to be. “I was always supported to be whatever – and whoever – I wanted to be and that really made me, and my three siblings, feel like the world was our oyster.”
Jorgie acknowledges the impact of 90s and 00s societal norms, such as homophobic notions, as a challenge in the embrace of her identity and individuality. Identifying as bisexual, Jorgie reflects on the internal conflict she struggled with at the time – her ambitious desire to live authentically versus the societal pressure to conform to heteronormative standards.
“Being bisexual, it can sometimes be easier to ‘straight face’, but this leads to a feeling of inauthenticity and emptiness – which as someone who wanted to take on the world, left me feeling at odds with myself and that something was missing.”
Moving away to Manchester Metropolitan University was a significant moment in Jorgie’s self-discovery journey, where she would meet down-to-earth and open-minded friends. Thriving in Manchester’s hospitality scene, particularly through bartending, Jorgie developed a love for the drinks industry. She found herself drawn to Manchester’s Gay Village, where she felt immediate acceptance and found a space to be herself without the need for explicit self-identification.
Jorgie later found a sense of belonging within the bisexual community, allowing her to realize her pansexual identity. Reflecting on this realization, Jorgie shared that she discovered comfortability within pansexuality in her twenties, a term she wasn’t familiar with earlier in life.
“I probably didn’t take enough time during this period of my life to self-identify, just seeing it as my own natural evolution, but I’ve since found my place in the bisexual community, distinctly pansexuality – a word I don’t think I even heard until I was in my 20s!”
Jorgie began her journey at beverage company, Diageo, through their Graduate Scheme. It was the perfect opportunity for her to explore various roles and begin shaping her career in an industry she had grown to love. Jorgie’s passion for working in a field she has a fondness for, with inspiring colleagues, has remained with her even after eight years in the industry.
Entering her second year at Diageo, Jorgie joined the Rainbow Network, an employee resource group aimed at promoting LGBTQIA inclusion. A year later, alongside colleague Jack, Jorgie would take on a Co-Chair role for the Rainbow Network – leading to great DEI advancements. Jorgie attributes the success of the Network to a shared drive for progress over perfection and an eagerness for teamwork that resonates within the Rainbow Network year after year.
Reflecting on the early years of Rainbow Network, Jorgie expresses pride towards the growth of the ERG.
“It’s been a truly humbling experience to have seen both the Network grow, but more importantly the profound impact that the network has had both inside and outside of Diageo brought to life.”
Every year, Jorgie is blown away by the support garnered for Diageo’s Global Progress Pride Flag Raising event. Bringing together all global sites and communities to hoist the progress pride flag, the event showcases collective dedication to fostering a more inclusive workplace for the LGBTQIA community. This year, 94 sites and teams participated in raising the flag, uniting to kick off Pride Month. Thanks to initiatives such as this, Jorgie has noticed a growing respect for the continuous learning process, emphasizing the empowerment derived from ongoing growth, and the strength found in unity.
Beyond Diageo’s empowering inclusivity efforts, Jorgie expresses concern over the media narrative surrounding the trans community. She emphasizes the importance of using her platform to advocate for trans inclusion within Diageo and extend that positive impact beyond the organization.
“The media discourse around the Trans community is heartbreaking and as an LGBTQIA community, we need to stand on our historical morals of allyship more than ever and come together to support our Transgender and Non-binary family. Positive changes can start simply – Introduction to Trans Inclusion training to break down any stigma or fear of the unknown can be really powerful.”
Stressing the importance of positive LGBTQIA role models and open dialogue about their impact on the community, Jorgie shares her inspirational daily endeavour; “I try every day to be my own role model and continue to live by my values.”
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