Employee relations (Our People)
We are determined to be the best brand builders in our industry. We know that our success depends on many conditions, the greatest of which is how well the people who work for Brown-Forman make and market our brands.
This is why we work hard to offer the career opportunities and working environment that will attract top talent, and inspire the approximately 4,000 people we employ worldwide, nearly 1,000 of whom are based in our Louisville, Kentucky, headquarters.
Our commitment to our people manifests itself in the promotion of a diverse and inclusive workforce, a focus on safe working conditions, encouraging healthy lifestyles and giving our people the opportunity to develop their personal skills and careers.
Workforce reduction
The challenges to our business posed by the global recession led us to reduce our workforce by 255 people in April 2009, mainly in Mexico and the U.S. This decision came after reducing other discretionary spending, offering voluntary early retirement in the U.S., and eliminating salary increases in 2009. We communicated openly with our employees according to our values, and treated each affected person with respect while offering transition pay, benefits, and career planning assistance.