Lion has announced yesterday that it is partnering with the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.

As part of the deal, Little Creatures will be the official beer of Mardi Gras for the next three years, and for Sydney WorldPride in 2023.

It’s not the first time a Lion brand has worked with the LBGTIQ+ community. 30 years ago, Hahn Ice sponsored the same event, and took part in the parade with a giant pink beer can float.

Lion has also recently signed a multi-year relationship with bobby Goldsmith Foundation via its special release beer Brooklyn Brewery Stonewall IPA, which raises money for Australia’s longest-running HIV charity.

Inclusivity and diversity has been key to Lion’s business and consumer strategies in recent years.

According to Lion’s chief marketing officer Anubha Sahasrabuddhe, the business has a dedicated LGBTQIA+ team, Pride@Lion, which is focused on visibility and change.

Lion has been at the forefront of movements to create a more inclusive culture across the board, not just with the LBGTIQ+ community. Last year it brought in full parental leave for workers regardless of their parenting role, as well as providing another six weeks superannuation on unpaid parental leave.

The major brewer also committed to closing the gender pay gap and highlighted its commitment to reconciliation.

“Diversity and inclusion is the forefront of our culture and we strive to create an environment where everyone feels they belong and one where they can thrive,” said Sahasrabuddhe.

“People join Lion with different backgrounds and experiences and in order to really be our best it is so crucial that everybody is treated equally and that we as a company play our part in creating a more equal society.”

As the brewing sector becomes increasingly short of skills and increasingly competitive, making a business attractive to both consumers and employees has never been more important.

Allegations of sexism in the US industry last year caused reverberations throughout the world and the Australian brewing industry was prompted look internally at what could be done differently to make it more inclusive to both customers and staff.

As a result, the Independent Brewers Association launched its Code of Conduct, and there have been ongoing discussions in the industry about how to bring in lasting change to workplace cultures.