Diageo Company launches a new Asian programme for rural women empowerment

The Daily Star newspaper published an interview today with Gilbert Ghostine, president of Diageo Asia Pacific.  The interview focused on what is known as “Plan W”, the company’s women economic empowerment programme which was launched in Lebanon recently.
Ghostine highlighted that Plan W, an international initiative, seeks to empower women through learning, particularly in the field of entrepreneurship.  In Lebanon, the project focuses on three main areas, namely: communication, accounting and leadership. He added that Lebanon’s programme, in collaboration with the local NGO Entraide Professionelle, targets all Lebanese women particularly those living in rural areas. Ghostine indicated that Plan W launched its pilot programme in Zahle, where more than 170 women have received training to start or develop their small-scale business plans.  He added that the Programme is then moving to Batroun and will continue all over the country.
It is worth mentioning that Plan W programme was conceived in 2012 as a corporate social responsibility CSR initiative worth $10 million, with a target to empower 2 million women by 2017 across 13 Asian countries. Diageo is an alcoholic beverage company selling household names such as Smirnoff, Johnny Walker and Tanqueray and it is the only alcoholic beverage company to sign the U.N. Women’s Empowerment Principles.  Furthermore, Diageo inaugurated its WE Journalism awards this year, which honor those in the media world who’ve fought for women’s empowerment.
Source: The Daily Star 10 April 2014