India/NCR, 20 September 2023: Diageo India (United Spirits Ltd.) among the country’s leading alco-bev companies, announced the expansion of its ‘Learning for Life’ programme in collaboration with the Skill Council for Persons with Disability (SCPwD). As part of this initiative, SCPwD will train 100 Persons with Disability to prepare them for roles in the Business and Hospitality sector. This initiative is yet another step in Diageo India’s commitment to championing Inclusion and Diversity, a key pillar of Diageo’s Society 2030: Spirit of Progress goals.

The residential training program is spread over three months. It will take place in SCPwD-affiliated training centres and will be conducted by their certified trainers and assessors across India and aims at enhancing productivity and reducing skill gaps.  This ensures that the students are empowered with essential and critical skills, as they enter the workforce and therefore add better value to their jobs.

Mr. Jagbir Singh Sidhu, Corporate Relations Director at Diageo India commented, “We are delighted to announce our partnership with the Skill Council for Persons with Disability, with whom we share a common vision of creating a vibrant and diverse workforce. We have expanded our flagship business and hospitality skills programme, ‘Learning for Life’ to the PwD community to help them overcome employment barriers. Diageo India is committed to promoting sustainable growth through inclusive programmes such as these, that provide equal access to the right resources, skills, and employment opportunities.”

Mr. Ravindra Singh, CEO, Skill Council for Persons with Disability (SCPwD), "Diageo India’s commitment to inclusion and diversity is exemplary and we are extremely happy to partner with them to upskill and empower a talented cohort of Persons with Disability this year. The first batch of 100 students training under Diageo India’s ‘Learning For Life’ programme with us will further open the pathway for many more to follow. The specially curated programme is designed to ensure they receive hands-on training in hospitality skills and enhance employment opportunities.”

The first cohort of 100 students includes persons with locomotive disability, and speech & hearing impairment. The meticulously planned programme is designed with special learning modules and assisted technologies including sign language instructors to enable learning and skilling.

About SCPwD

SCPwD was incepted in October 2015 jointly by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MSJE), National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and Confederation of India Industry (CII) under the aegis of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), to fulfil the mission of mainstreaming ‘Persons with Disability’ (PwD).

About Diageo India

Diageo India is among the country’s leading beverage alcohol company and a subsidiary of global leader Diageo Plc. The company manufactures, sells and distributes an outstanding portfolio of premium brands such as Johnnie Walker, Black Dog, Black & White, VAT 69, Antiquity, Signature, The Singleton, Royal Challenge, McDowell’s No1, Smirnoff, Ketel One, Tanqueray, Captain Morgan and Godawan, an artisanal single malt whisky from India. Headquartered in Bengaluru, our wide footprint is supported by a committed team of over 3000 employees, 37 manufacturing facilities across states and union territories in India, a strong distribution network and a state-of-the-art Technical Centre. Incorporated in India as United Spirits Limited (USL), the company is listed on both the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) in India.

For more information about Diageo India, our people, our brands, and our performance, visit us at www.diageoindia.com. Visit Diageo’s global responsible drinking resource, http://www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practices.

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