The Gérard Basset Foundation was established in 2021 and is mandated to fund educational and professional programmes focused on supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the wine, spirits, and hospitality industries.
The Foundation’s mission is to provide funding for programmes that significantly enhance the career opportunities of those that they support, funding credible programmes that support a diverse range of communities including cultural and socio economic diversity, ethnic diversity, religious diversity, gender diversity, sexual orientation diversity, and disability diversity.
Lulie Halstead, interim CEO of the Gérard Basset Foundation: “We are honoured that, through our latest round of grantee funding, over 300 individuals will be supported to develop their skills and employment opportunities. We are excited to welcome several new grantee partners on board enabling us to help fund students in Zimbabwe undertaking ASI qualifications, Latinx students pursuing a 17-week wine focused course in the United States, South African WSET Diploma students from historically marginalised communities, and a wide range of students in West Bengal, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic. We will also be supporting people with learning disabilities to gain employment opportunities and qualifications in London.”
In addition to its scholarship programme, the Foundation offers annual grants to a variety of organisations ranging from grass-roots non-profits to globally renowned research institutions. Whilst the Foundation scholarships primarily support those undertaking high-level qualifications, the grantee programme supports a broader range of communities and individuals at earlier stages in their career journeys.
The latest recipients are:
- The 280 Project, United States
- AHIVOY (Asociación Hispana de la Industria del Vino en Oregon y Comunidad), United States (First time grantee)
- Be Inclusive Hospitality, United Kingdom Bordeaux Mentor Week, France
- Celebrare, Brazil
- Curious Vines, United Kingdom
- EduVino, Mexico and the Dominican Republic (First time grantee, first time supporting grantees in Mexico and the Dominican Republic)
- Hue Society, United States and South Africa
- IWEC, South Africa (First time grantee)
- KEDGE Wine School “World Somm” course, France
- Pebbles Project, South Africa
- Pinotage Youth Development Academy (PYDA), South Africa
- Sommelier Education for Zimbabwe – in partnership with ASI (Association de la Sommellerie Internationale), the Sommeliers Academy and the Sommeliers Association of
- Zimbabwe (First ever grantee in Zimbabwe)
- Sunburst Vin, India (First ever grantee in India)
- UC Davis “Broadening Horizons” programme, United States
- Unity Works, United Kingdom (First time grantee)
- Vinequity, Canada (First time grantee)
- Wine & Spirit Professional Centre, Greece
Romané Basset, co-founder and trustee of the Gérard Basset Foundation, adds: “We are delighted to support the work of our grantees across the globe, ranging in size from world-leading research institutions to grassroots community organisers – and we are proud to announce funding to support 18 new grants which will deliver on our mandate of making the wine, spirits, and hospitality industries fairer, more inclusive, and more equitable.”