The International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) has announced a collective goal to drive more diverse, safe and inclusive mining workplaces by establishing a benchmark on gender representation and equality in the industry.
Progress towards the goal will be reported in a biennial performance report commencing 2026.
ICMM has also published a set of practical tools to support improved performance on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and a roadmap to help accelerate meaningful progress across the wider industry.
In 2023, ICMM published a DEI Position Statement in which its members committed to four actions by the end of 2024. This included developing a roadmap outlining key steps being taken on DEI, to set individual and collective goals, to disclose aggregated performance against these goals, and encourage wider collaboration to address shared challenges.
The benchmark, focused initially on gender, will enable members to track their progress in implementing equitable practices in hiring, pay and investment in training.
ICMM Director of Social Performance and co-COO Danielle Martin says the tools for DEI and the DEI roadmap reflect a shared determination to build a mining sector that is not only more equitable but also a better place to work.
“We recognise that achieving meaningful progress will take time, effort and deliberate endeavour. Establishing benchmarks will help companies and stakeholders understand what good looks like and where improvement is required,” says Martin.
“They’ll provide inspiration for companies to meet or exceed them and ensure accountability, with members’ progress against the benchmarks published in a biennial report. I hope this goal, along with the tools and roadmap, encourage others to join this effort to drive the change we so urgently need.”
ICMM will publish a biennial report on members’ performance, offering transparency and accountability for companies and stakeholders with the overall aim of improved performance on DEI across the wider industry.
To support mining companies to embed DEI policies and practices into their strategies and operations, ICMM has developed six practical tools. These resources provide guidance on using inclusive language; integrating DEI in business strategy and governance; designing inclusive workplaces; addressing workplace psychological and psychosocial safety; recognising local nuances and adopting inclusive language; and using a maturity matrix to assess progress.
Underpinning this work is a DEI roadmap which outlines the steps already taken by ICMM and its members, sets out future milestones towards achieving the DEI aspirations and aims to inspire other companies to also take positive DEI action.
ICMM stands for mining with principles. We bring together a third of the global metals and mining industry, along with key partners to drive leadership, action and innovation for sustainable development, ultimately delivering a positive contribution to society. Through collaboration, ICMM member companies set the standard for responsibly produced minerals and metals in a safe, just and sustainable world.
Writer to info@mining.com.au
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