The mining industry has long struggled with issues surrounding discrimination, harassment and assault making it difficult for them to attract new talent. But that is all set to change as some of the world’s top miners commit to improving diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within their operations.
According to Rohitesh Dhawan, CEO of the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), a London-based industry body comprising one-third of the global mining and metal industry, companies have made a new collective commitment to tackle negative behaviors and foster a culture of respect and inclusivity.
To achieve this, companies have been urged to accelerate their efforts to stamp out discrimination, harassment and assault and by doing so, create a more attractive working environment.
Dhawan believes that “we will not get the numbers of people we need, let alone the diversity of talent that we need, in order to grow the industry at the pace it needs to grow” without making mining more diverse, equitable and inclusive.
This commitment underscores the industry’s clear understanding of the urgent need to change its culture in order to keep pace with metals-intensive clean-energy transition efforts.
This is a bold step in the right direction and signals a positive turning point in the history of the mining industry.
Fighting Harassment and Discrimination in the Mining Industry
As per a report published by Rio Tinto last year, an alarming 48% of employees working in the mining industry have faced bullying at work, while 11% of them have been sexually harassed. The report also found that women were disproportionately impacted by both of these issues.
Sadly, many employees were hesitant to report abuse for fear of jeopardizing their careers, including managers who indulged in bullying and made racist comments. It’s a systemic issue that requires a collective response.
“This report was a catalytic moment for us,” said Saurabh Dhawan, CEO of BHP Petroleum. “As an industry, we have often treated these issues as being company- or region-specific, ignoring the fact that they have been a part of our profession for far too long.”
To address this challenge, miners have come together to develop individual and collective goals by the end of 2024 to eradicate harassment and discriminatory behavior. Together, they will work on strategies for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) challenges and collaborate with underrepresented groups, investors, and others.
They have also agreed to share aggregated performance data to showcase progress against these goals and raised transparency by separating out figures on gender and ethnicity wherever possible.
The mining industry is making significant strides towards creating a safer, more inclusive industry, but there’s still a long way to go. However, with continued cooperation and commitment, it’s a vision that will become a reality.
