World’s largest miner wants 50 pct of workforce to be female by 2025: report
BHP Billiton aspires to have a workforce that is 50% female by 2025, in a report by The Financial Times.
CEO Andrew Mackenzie made the announcement before the company kicks off its annual meeting in London on Thursday.
BHP Billiton (NYSE:BHP), the world’s largest miner, currently has 65,000 employees with just 17% being female. Senior staff bonuses are already tied to hiring more female workers. BHP admits the goal is “aspirational.”
Mackenzie outlined his plans in a statement:
“I’ve heard the concerns: some employees think inclusion and diversity is not an area where we can make significant progress; some think women don’t want to work in the mining industry, and some male employees have concerns they may be discriminated against, or that they may be overlooked for a promotion. These points have all been raised with me.
“So let me say this – the path to create a more inclusive and diverse workplace will be challenging as significant change often is. It will require us to make inclusion and diversity a greater priority. It will demand that we question our own biases when we make decisions, that we make our workplaces more flexible and that we challenge dated stereotypes about jobs in the resources industry.”
More News
{{ commodity.name }}
{{ post.title }}
{{ post.date }}
8 Comments
lefty_lemon
Because….?
Sure, whatever. Time to dump BHP. Obviously skewed management priorities.
Caper Nova Scotia
Ridiculous. I’ve seen none that can even move a jackleg or stoper let alone use it.
Mike Failla
If she can do the job fine, if she cant she has no business in the mine, just like guys.. Mining is no place for social experimentation. Sexist? maybe. I dont care. i would rather hurt your feelings than see you get hurt or worse.
If you are embarrassed by that well then i would say that no ever died from embarrassment.
Realist
I have been studying mining in two different universities in two different countries. What is one of the most common nominator one may wonder. Well, about 80-90 percent of students are men. Getting into the schools is purely merit base, no gender biases. Fact is, in reality, there just ain’t enough women who are interested in mining. In trade schools (welders, machine operators, mechanics, pipefitters etc) tendencies are the same, if not even more profound.
50%, what are we talking here?
Tom
huh? Say wha? Didn’t you get the memo? This is Trudeau’s Canada now and we do not stereotype based on gender, sexual orientation, or lack thereof. The truth doesn’t matter now….only feelings do.
Brian Doubt
time to sell sell sell. what idiot board members have hijacked the agenda… some SJW with messed up priorities.
mijanko
I like the idea to have equal consideration between men and women anywhere.
But incenting executives to hire a particular sex is reverse discrimination!
Truly I tell you – two wrongs do not make a right. Just consider candidates equally please! Discrimination based on sex, race, etc. is the root of much evil.
Paul Piercy
A great ambition but if quotas override the merits of people employed then the future is bleak. Quotas haven’t worked anywhere. It is a bit like managing by consensus where every body has a say in management decisions. Nothing is done until everyone agrees. Doesn’t work – decision makers ae critical in taking businesses forward. Mackenzie probably won’t see the day as CEO. He won’t have to live with the outcome.