HispanicBusiness

Los Angeles, CA--(HISPANIC PR WIRE)--May 4, 2004--On the day before Cinco de Mayo on historic Olvera Street in Los Angeles, CA, flanked by elected officials, members of the National Latino Peace Officers Association, TELACU and the California Restaurant Association, Diageo, the world’s leading premium drinks business, unveiled Training for Intervention ProcedureS (TIPS) en Español a program aimed at reinforcing responsible drinking of alcohol beverages. An actual training session followed the announcement.

TIPS en Español was developed by Health Communications, Inc. (HCI) with a grant from the Diageo Foundation. Diageo’s investment in this program reinforces Diageo’s commitment to the message of responsible consumption of alcohol beverages.

TIPS and TIPS en Español are marketed primarily to restaurants and hotels by training bartenders and servers in methods to prevent the intoxication of consumers. “Diageo is committed to working closely with the organizations presented here today to not only promote responsibility, but to make a concerted effort to prevent alcohol misuse.” said Virginia Sanchez, VP of Communications for DIAGEO.

In Los Angeles County, Hispanics made up 44.6% of the population and by 2010, it is projected that the Hispanic population will jump to 50.99%. “Each of us plays an important role in promoting responsible drinking,” said Los Angeles City Council President Alex Padilla. “Since Latinos are the fastest growing segment of the population in Los Angeles, it’s vital that we develop culturally-appropriate tools for servers of alcohol beverages. Through education, servers can help prevent intoxication and promote responsibility in our community.”

During the event, the host, Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo, added, “This is a worthwhile program that educates those who serve alcohol to recognize signs of alcohol misuse and helps us do our job by promoting public safety. Diageo and participating restaurants are to be commended for their leadership in this important effort.”

Last week, Diageo launched a Public Service Campaign promoting TIPS en Español urging people to celebrate Cinco de Mayo responsibly and added that businesses interested in the TIPS program can call 1-800-GET-TIPS for upcoming training sessions.

Since its creation, TIPS has certified over 25,000 trainers and almost 1,000,000 servers in the United States. TIPS certification also has long-term benefits. Several studies have shown that server training is effective in reducing the number of intoxicated patrons. Another benefit is that servers say the training has resulted in higher tips.