Name: Cyril Leopoldo (he/him)
Age: 32
Job title: Sustainability manager
Company & location: Carlsberg Britvic, Hemel Hempstead
What is your role in your company’s pride network? I’m a steering committee member of Be Proud (Carlsberg Britvic’s LGBTQIA+ employee resource group) and co‑lead the Pride celebrations workstream.
Education: Law at University of Westminster
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? Growing up, my cousin and I choreographed routines to Steps and the Spice Girls and learned how to play different instruments, so for a long time, I wanted to be in music or the performing arts.
Why did you decide to go for a career in food & drink? Food and drink are central to everyday life and, especially coming from a Filipino household, they play a key role in every special occasion. When I had the opportunity to work in the industry, it was incredibly exciting to be part of something so integral to people’s lives and such a significant economic pillar for the country.
Explain your job to us in a sentence (or two): My role focuses on the implementation of our company’s sustainability strategy and ultimately supporting the business achieve its ambition to become a truly sustainable organisation.
“We have a network of Be Proud allies across the business who act as ambassadors and trusted points of contact for colleagues”
How does your workplace celebrate LGBTQ Pride Month? We tend to celebrate Pride Month in three ways: raising awareness, educating, and, of course, celebrating.
A big focus for us is helping colleagues understand the ‘why’ – why Pride matters, its history, and why it’s still so important today. We bring this to life through things like virtual sessions, podcasts, and video content where colleagues and allies share their experiences, alongside communication that spotlights key moments in Pride history.
Also very exciting for this year is the launch of the new Brooklyn Brewery Stonewall IPA can, in partnership with artist Rob Downing (@RobLikesToDraw), a member of the Queer Youth Art Collective, which celebrates queer creativity and artists within the community. And with Stonewall IPA as the official sponsor for Pride in London (now in its second year), we’re incredibly proud to be part of the parade with our very own Brooklyn Brewery float, managed by our fantastic employee community of members and allies.
Does your company provide support to LGBTQ+ employees in terms of policies and resources? We have a strong diversity, equity and inclusion policy in place, supported by a dedicated DE&I team who work closely with our employee resource groups to ensure our policies and processes are as inclusive, equitable, and representative as possible.
Our Be Proud employee network helps drive awareness, allyship and community, while our inclusive approach ensures everyone feels respected, supported, and able to be themselves at work. We also have a network of Be Proud allies across the business who act as ambassadors and trusted points of contact for colleagues seeking support or guidance.
What does a typical day look like for you? Dynamic! That’s the best way to describe it. I work in corporate affairs & sustainability, and no two days are the same. Our sustainability strategy spans carbon, water, nature, inspiring choices, and people initiatives, so I get to work across a wide range of projects and teams. My work can range from presenting and stakeholder engagement to data collation for sustainability reporting or supporting commercial teams with customer queries on our sustainability agenda.
Tell us how you went about applying for your job: I joined Carlsberg Britvic towards the end of the Covid pandemic, so all my interviews were done over Teams, which was a bit of a change from the usual face-to-face experience. I had an initial call with a recruiter, then a virtual interview with my manager, and finally a conversation with the director.
But what really stood out to me came after I joined. On my first day driving into the office, I noticed the Pride flag flying. I thought at the time ‘wow’, the flag is not just for Pride Month, but all year round. Then, as I walked into reception, I saw someone wearing a Be Proud lanyard. In that moment, I instantly felt at ease, it gave me a real sense that I could be myself at work.
Who is a pride role model for you? Stormé DeLarverie is one of the pioneers of the LGBTQIA+ rights movement and was at the forefront of the Stonewall uprising, which ultimately helped ignite the modern Pride movement. Beyond that, they were also a powerful example of intersectionality, showing how inclusion should extend beyond our own communities.
How do you personally celebrate Pride? I mainly celebrate by attending events, whether local Pride events or Pride in London. I’ve also had the privilege of supporting Pride initiatives and fundraising, both within Carlsberg Britvic and across the wider food and drink industry. One of my favourite Pride moments was seeing Claire from Steps perform at Reading Pride.
What’s the best part about working for a food & drink company? My favourite part is seeing customers enjoying our drinks out and about, whether that’s in a restaurant or at something like a Pride festival. It’s also great being able to talk about the products themselves, especially hearing from friends and family about what they think. It’s always rewarding to see people having a good time with something you’re part of.
Being involved in GroceryAid and the D&I in Grocery Shared Learning steering committee has also really shown me how many people across the industry actively contribute to making it more inclusive. There’s a genuine sense of care, which makes perfect sense in an industry built around bringing people together, creating moments of enjoyment, and providing for everyone.
And what’s the biggest misconception people have about working in food & drink? A common misconception is that the food and drink industry isn’t very diverse or is slow to change. In reality, it brings together people from all backgrounds and walks of life. While many businesses have a strong heritage, the industry itself is incredibly innovative, whether that’s in product development, marketing, or creating new ways for people to experience and enjoy food and drink.
What advice would you give to young queer people in the food & drink industry? Be proud of who you are and bring your whole self to work – your individuality is a strength, not a barrier. Don’t be afraid to ask for support when you need it. And if you’re able to, continue to be visible and advocate for the community.
While there are things we can’t always control externally, by keeping conversations going and raising awareness, we can help ensure the industry continues to become more inclusive.
What’s your ultimate career dream? Genuinely, beyond thinking about job titles, my ultimate career dream is to be happy in what I do and to make a meaningful difference in the industry, whether through sustainability or DE&I.
We spend so much of our lives at work, so if you can find fulfilment, enjoyment, and purpose, while making a positive impact. That, to me, is the ultimate career goal.
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