Story:
Crafting Women Brewmasters in Bhutan
Crafting Women Brewmasters in Bhutan
About this Project
Country:
Bhutan
Project Type:
Training Program, Gender Equity, Economic Development
Sector:
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), Food and Beverage, Sustainability
Delivery Format:
In-Person and Virtual
Partners:
Canadian Trade and Investment Facility for Development (CTIF); Ser Bhum Brewery (SBB); Cowater Sogema
Project Year & Length:
2020-2023; two years
The Opportunity
- The project’s aim was to support the development of a gender-inclusive and sustainable craft brewing employment sector in Bhutan and to support SBB in expanding their operations, production capabilities and market competitiveness while advancing inclusive and sustainable practices.
- The collaboration focused on supporting SBB to become a sustainable business that supports the growth of women in management and operational leadership roles, while assisting the brewery in producing high-quality craft beer for domestic and export markets.
- The project reflects the commitment that Niagara College has towards gender equity and social inclusion in the brewing industry including the provision of scholarship opportunities at Niagara College geared towards increasing female representation in the brewing industry.
Our Approach
- Adapted program delivery to an online format due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Created an innovative way to deliver the program and bridged Bhutanese and Canadian brewing practices by using a combination of best practices in online learning and digital technologies.
- Launched Niagara College’s first online global brewing academy, the Niagara College International Brew Academy, as part of this initiative.
- Delivered each module of the Niagara College International Brew Academy via an open-source training platform called Moodle.
- Offered in-person training to SBB employees post-COVID at NC’s Teaching Brewery and participated in local industry site visits to experience Canadian brewing operations firsthand, while learning about current industry trends and best practices in Canada.
- Engaged NC’s Human Resources Management (HRM) students to develop a strategic Human Resources plan to support the SSB.
- Focused on gender equity practices in HR including:
- Inclusive recruitment and selection processes that target women and vulnerable populations.
- Equitable talent management practices.
- Training programs aimed at increasing equity in the workplace.
- Anti-discrimination and anti-harassment, and workplace harassment investigation.
Partner Outcomes and Success
- Upon completion of the seven-module program, the SBB participants were awarded a statement of participation from NC, and by the end of the training, they were able to apply a variety of new skills to the beverage sector, including formulating and developing a beer recipe for the marketplace.
- The partnership enabled the creation of new products by SBB, drawing from NC’s Teaching Brewery’s expertise. The new recipes, a lager, and a honey wheat, were launched following the program completion.
- The partnership supported the development of an Occupational Health & Safety Plan, Gender Equality Policy and Gender Action Plan, and Environmental Management Plan. These key documents support SBB’s operations and focus on regulatory compliance and prioritized workplace safety, align with SBB’s commitment to sustainability, and support an inclusive environment, promoting women’s employment, retention, and advancement in the craft brewing sector.
Participant Comments
“This project has helped elevate the understanding of professional brewing in Bhutan, NC’s experts have helped us write a gender policy plan and see how business and sustainability can go hand in hand, which is a big step toward having an equal and sustainable working environment.”
—Sonam Lhaden, Co-founder and CEO, Ser Bhum Brewery
“The practical approach that Niagara College took toward this project and their patience, creativity, and commitment have made a real difference. These elements created the conditions under which Ser Bhum was able to achieve what they were expecting.”
—Phil Rourke, CTIF’s Project Director
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