The Gérard Basset Foundation empowers diversity, equity & inclusion for wine, spirits and hospitality professionals by funding education, learning & career enhancing programmes internationally.
Our Grantee programme supports a range of projects aimed at a diverse range of communities & individuals at the earlier stages of their careers, delivered by 30 organisations located in 15 countries, ranging in size and scope from grassroots non-profits to globally renowned research institutions.
Our Scholarship programmes support those undertaking higher level qualifications, including the Master of Wine & Master Sommelier certifications. Since our founding in 2021, we have supported 66 scholarship and bursary recipients, comprising 28 nationalities and living in 23 countries globally.
Through these programmes combined, we have reached 1,200 beneficiaries around the world since our founding.
Our Funding
The Foundation is mandated to fund educational and professional programmes focused on supporting diversity, equity & inclusion in wine, spirits & hospitality internationally.
Our mission is to provide funding for programmes that significantly enhance the career opportunities of those that they support. We fund credible programmes that support a diverse range of communities including:
Cultural & socio-economic diversity
Ethnic diversity
Religious diversity
Gender diversity
Sexual orientation diversity
Disability diversity
Whilst our Scholarships primarily support those undertaking higher level qualifications e.g. MW & MS, our Grantee programme seeks to support a broader range of communities & individuals at earlier stages in their career journey.
To date, we have supported 66 varied Scholars and Bursary Recipients since our founding in 2021. These scholars comprise 28 different nationalities, living and working in 23 different countries across 6 of the world's continents. In addition to these Scholarships, we have supported 30 Grantees in 16 different countries across 6 of the world's continents. The Grantees comprise organisations ranging from grass-roots non-profits to globally renowned research institutions, and each project which we support with them fulfils our mandate of promoting diversity and inclusion in the wine, spirits and hospitality industries.