7 August 2020

The Minerals Council South Africa launched the first National Day of Women in Mining highlighting its focus on the implementation of initiatives designed to achieve stretch targets for the representation and advancement of women in the South African mining industry.

This first National Day of Women in Mining seeks to spur the process within the Minerals Council leadership, in mining company boardrooms and within mining companies themselves and to put the advancement of women firmly on the agenda. Every year the industry will come together in August to take stock of progress.

The three pillars driving women in mining in the current context – governance, communication and action – are supported by six priority initiatives, which focus on the development of an organisational structure and dynamic communication strategy; the public celebration of women in mining COVID-19 heroes; ensuring a commitment from member companies to deliver on the seven foundational measures; the defining role of women in our COVID-19 response; and the integration of inclusion best practices in mining modernisation.

The Women in Mining Task Team is working towards seven key foundational measures which we hope to see in place by the end of 2020 – reaffirming zero tolerance for gender-based violence through the Stop Abuse campaign; developing gender diversity and inclusion policies; providing a reporting system for gender diversity issues; initiating unconscious bias training to transform culture; deploying ongoing company-wide pulse check surveys; building an inclusive physical environment; and supplying PPE specifically designed for women.