In 2019 the WVWA formed a Diversity, Equity, Belonging and Inclusion (DEBI) task force with the stated goal to advocate for belonging through the creation of diverse, inclusive, and equitable opportunities for our members, trade, and consumer audiences. Since then, our DEBI Task Force, in collaboration with consultants at Diamond Strategies, has developed this dedicated section of the WVWA website, and a pledge that includes actionable and accountable steps signatory wineries have agreed to take toward inclusivity and equity in the workplace and beyond.  

As an organization, we have bolstered our resolve and affirmed Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “fierce urgency of now.”  While we know that achieving systemic equity—embedding DEBI into WVWA's organizational DNA—is a long-distance run, we are sprinting toward things we can reach quickly: difficult dialogues, training, coaching, stakeholder counsel, and the creation of an actionable DEBI strategic plan. WVWA exists to serve its peers and meet the needs of our industry and nation, and to do this well, we must first understand, serve, and meet the needs of each other.  This WVWA DEBI microsite is but one aspect of a comprehensive effort to become an exemplar of these ideals.

READ THE WVWA DEBI STRATEGIC STATEMENT