Today on International Day of Women in Mining, Redpath’s Global HR Director, Lelani Robertson, reflects on women in mining and the value diversity brings to our industry.
While it is true that there are still barriers for women in mining, sometimes those barriers are cultivated by false perceptions and stereotyping.
There certainly are key physical and ergonomic barriers that existed in the past and sometimes even basic infrastructure, such as female locker rooms. Mining companies and equipment manufacturers are making great strides towards greater inclusivity where machines are more ergonomically inclusive, infrastructure is upgraded and basic PPE considers the female stature, to name but a few improvements.
In my opinion, we should be turning the rhetoric from “how can companies comply with the corporate diversity protocols brought about through human rights and anti-discrimination laws and trends?” to “do companies understand the value that women bring to the mining industry?”. Consensus can often be the enemy of innovation and critical thinking while diversity contributes to better outcomes.
To young women thinking about a career in mining, my advice is stop thinking about it and just do it!
Mining is essential to the “clean energy transition” and is indeed essential to our modern day lives. Think of the minerals that are required for batteries to power electric vehicles or the copper that is required for wind turbines and even for wiring our power grids.
On the question of women in leadership, again I come back to perception. The so-called glass ceiling is a construct of the imagination. Do not let being different make you believe you don’t belong. Diversity of thought, experience, and perspective is not a weakness – it is one of the greatest strengths any organisation can have.
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