A perspective from Hina Nagarajan, President, Diageo Africa.
Earlier this year, I had the privilege of joining our PRISM, We Are All Able and PossAbilities Business and Employee Resource groups for a combined listening session on disability and neurodiversity. It was an honest and thoughtful discussion about where we’re making progress and where challenges remain.
A message that stayed with me is that inclusion isn’t just about access—it’s about participation—ensuring everyone can participate fully and thrive. Today is International Day of Persons with Disabilities, which is one day, but I’m reminded that inclusion is something we bring to life through our actions, decisions and the culture we build together every day of the year.
Across Diageo, colleagues are leading the way. Members of PRISM, We Are All Able and PossAbilities are sharing personal stories this week that show how inclusion strengthens our culture and our business.
Our Disability Inclusion Guidelines, refreshed this year with input from our Business and Employee Resource Groups, are another powerful resource. Available in 14 languages and in accessible formats, they offer simple, practical ways to make our workplaces more inclusive-from language and communication to recruitment and digital accessibility.
We’re also seeing disability inclusion come to life through our business and community programmes. In Kenya, the DigiBility programme has supported 36 students through digital marketing training, resulting in 25 graduates and six internships. Diageo Business Services India partnered with the Skill Council for Persons with Disabilities to train and place 85 learners through a nine-month residential programme. Initiatives like these are helping remove barriers and open doors for people with disabilities in our communities.
For the fourth-year running, our offices and sites across the world are also lighting up purple to celebrate the #PositivelyPurple campaign—a global moment that shines a light on the power of inclusion and accessibility.
Spotlighting Guinness’s campaign with Field of Vision and Six Nations Rugby
Diageo’s purpose is to “celebrate life, every day, everywhere”, and the company strives to ensure everyone feels invited and included. It believes inclusion is not only the right thing to do, but also good for business. According to Diageo, its brands must reflect and represent the diverse consumers who enjoy them across the world.
The company is committed to increasing the representation of people with disabilities both in front of and behind the camera, and to embedding inclusive design across products, brand homes, experiences, and on-trade partnerships.
Earlier in the year, Guinness collaborated with Irish start-up Field of Vision and Six Nations Rugby for the award-winning “Never Settle” campaign, an initiative aligned with the brand’s mission to make rugby more inclusive.
On average, of the 52,000 fans attending matches at the Aviva Stadium in Ireland, less than 0.1% identify as visually impaired, despite 10% of the Irish population having such a disability. This stark gap prompted the Guinness team to explore the challenges visually impaired fans face—many reported feeling as though they did not belong.
As title partner and tournament sponsor, Guinness joined forces with Field of Vision to introduce a cutting-edge device using touch-based technology, enabling visually impaired fans to experience the excitement of live sport.
Field of Vision’s devices provide a tactile, vibration-driven play-by-play of the ball’s movement so users can feel every pass, tackle, and score in real time. For months, the team worked closely with visually impaired fans to develop a unique haptic language, allowing them to engage in every match-day moment. Fans also received radios with live commentary.
The technology debuted at the opening game of the Six Nations in Ireland in February and was subsequently rolled out across all Guinness Six Nations matches in Ireland, covering both the Men’s and Women’s Championships.
As part of the campaign, Guinness shared the story of Martin Gordon—two-time Paralympian and “Never Settle” ambassador—highlighting his transformative experience as a spectator.
Guinness also partnered with Virgin Media to enhance accessibility in broadcasting. Using bespoke research, Guinness invested in accessible broadcast technology that was used for the first time during a live Irish transmission. In Great Britain, Guinness and ITV have collaborated to introduce live audio-descriptive commentary for the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 and the 2025 Guinness Six Nations.
Preparations are already underway for the second year of the project, as Guinness continues its push to make rugby inclusive and accessible to all.
Liam El Sibai, Senior Brand Manager at Diageo Ireland, noted that on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the team was proud to highlight the initiative. He added that introducing life-changing technology to rugby aims to empower more people to attend and enjoy live sporting events. While recognition for the project has been rewarding, he said the true achievement lies in seeing more fans share the exhilaration of the game together.
Disabled Creatives
Diageo also maintains a long-standing partnership with Creative Equals, an organisation advocating for diversity and inclusion in the creative industries. In 2023, the Disabled Creatives programme was launched to support disabled and neurodivergent creatives by equipping them with tools, training, and opportunities to amplify their voices.
Disabled Creatives contributed to making the Guinness Six Nations 2024 the most inclusive edition to date, enhancing both at-home and in-stadium experiences for fans with less visible disabilities. Their efforts included specialised training for stadium staff and providing sensory-support resources such as stress balls and earplugs to create a welcoming environment. Applications are open for the 2026 Disabled Creatives programme.
Ali Hanan, Founder of Creative Equals, expressed delight that the organisation’s work with Diageo had inspired and helped drive this project. She said the initiative aligns with their ambition to empower disabled creatives through skills, networks, and mentorship, while encouraging industry-wide inclusivity. According to her, the campaign exemplifies how creativity can open doors to live sporting events and help all fans overcome barriers to enjoyment.