Mitigating the Barriers to Female Inclusion in the Mining Sector: A Framework for Change ()
1. Introduction
Diversity within organisations has generated a plethora of benefits which include enhanced work wellbeing and improved attitudes towards work (Perrigino & Jenkins, 2022). Corporations around the world have extended their social responsibility by detailing clear Environmental Social Governance (ESG) goals that include metrics around diversity. Many targets are inclusive of female board representation (Cheung & Lai, 2023). The complexity of diversity extends beyond gender and can include other demographics such as cultural background, sexuality, ability and differences in thought (Dodds, 2020). Many resourcing companies have focused their efforts on gender representation, as the core focal point of diversity. Articulation of a clear business case around gender equity can cause malaise, due to the notion of gender equity being seen as a restriction of autonomy or being procedurally unfair to the broader population (Brannon et al., 2018). It has been posited that gender equity within the mining sector aims to correct the historical underrepresentation of women within the sector or address insalubrious behaviours linked to sexism, harassment, hyper-masculinity and discrimination (Norberg & Fältholm, 2018).
High rates of sexual harassment and discrimination in the mining industry have been widely publicized across Australia (Entriken & Hughes, 2023). The presence of such deleterious behaviours may become a deterrent to women’s entry into the mining industry. Other factors that may deter women from joining the industry include challenging working conditions, long hours, geographical isolation and male dominance in the industry (Salinas & Romaní, 2014). Overcoming arduous conditions, historical misjustices and antiquated stereotypes require a nuanced approach to attract women to the mining sector. Exploring barriers to promotion can assist in addressing structural and systematic challenges that may exclude women from entering into positions of leadership. This is particularly true when most leaders within the mining sector are male and may exude archaic thoughts (Valadares et al., 2022). Gender equity can be strengthened by understanding the lived experiences of women in the mining sector and through exploration of systematic barriers to promotion.
Through a thorough peer analysis, literature review and analysis of survey results, the ontology of women in the mining sector can be explored through the structural barriers towards female inclusivity. A conceptual model for change will be presented (4S model), which can enhance gender representation across the mining sector and be applied within the cultural and legal context of various jurisdictions. The application of this framework does not need to be insular and kept within the confines of one industry. Doing so would stymie broader progress. Instead, the proposed model could evolve to become the nexus for many businesses that are aiming to enhance gender equity through the removal of the barriers to gender inclusivity at the workplace.
Through synthesis of literature, data and research findings, a conceptual framework has been created that can be the blueprint for removing barriers towards female promotion within the mining sector.
2. Under-Representation of Women in the Mining Industry
Women represent between 8% - 17% of the global mining workforce, in comparison to 65% representation in the healthcare are care services (Bamber et al., 2019). The prospect of varied work, matched with growth opportunities are the core reasons that women have joined the mining industry (Doku, 2019). Ironically, a lack of variety and dearth growth opportunities are the principal reasons women leave the mining sector (MacDonald & Hoy, 2021). High turnover can impact a business fiscally and adversely influence culture (Daniel, 2018). Such contrasts are the focal point of this study.
One of the governing bodies of the sector, the International Council of Mining and Minerals (ICMM) publicly outline their commitment to taking proactive steps in achieving gender equality (Guthire, 2023). That is a case of institutional commitment providing an equitable workplace for all genders in the industry, which highlights the growing attempts by the industry to subscribe to ideal macro gender practices. The workplace inequities include the fact that women’s wages have remained lower than those of men across historical eras, even when both sexes have equivalent levels of education and comparable positions in the organisation (Valadares et al., 2022). Despite public proclamations and visionary goals by large multi-tier companies, efforts to attract women to the industry has yielded minimal dividends, which has been attributed to insufficient data being captured on the challenges confronting female workers (Kansake et al., 2021). A comparative industry analysis was undertaken that revealed a significant disparity between women who have leadership roles in the mining sector in comparison to other industries (Hunt et al., 2018). A dual problem exists in terms of attracting women into the sector and then promoting and retaining them.
Specifically, for women of colour, a lack of culturally responsive mentorships and ambiguity towards what is needed for promotion were deemed to be barriers towards promotion (Corneille et al., 2018). Intersectionality, where multiple diverse demographics converge can create further barriers due to the complexity of needs, institutionalized biases, lack of understanding and hierarchal or hegemonic relations to inequalities (Walby et al., 2012). When considering countries with high unemployment rates, the barriers to development and employment can differ in line with external and internal factors. For unemployed female workers in South Africa, the most prominent barriers to employment are believed to be lack of qualifications, lack of experience, lack of skills and failure to conduct themselves properly during an interview (Msimanga & Sekhampu, 2020). Such beliefs can create barriers for underrepresented groups, even before the first steps are made in applying for a role.
Inclusive talent management processes can nurture the knowledge base within a company and enhance perceptions around organizational support and procedural justice (Dries & Kaše, 2023). Within an entity the importance of professional development was deemed paramount in helping women to be supported and promoted in the workplace, additional to fair promotion processes and policies (Leišytė et al., 2022). A study by Benson et al. (2022) found that subjective assessments of potential are heavily influenced by politicking and familiarity. These can create gender-based disparities, which was highlighted by the women who were interviewed who received lower potential ratings, despite having higher performance ratings than men. Other root causes of gender related issues in the workplace are linked to inadequate training, women adopting masculine traits (assertiveness) for acceptance, gender discrimination and unconscious biases (McElhaney et al., 2020).
2.1. Bridging Workplace Gender Gaps: Some Efforts and Measures
Statistics of women thriving in the mining industry are not favorable due to the aforementioned. Improvement efforts as well as mechanisms to bolster gender equity and promotion within an industry have been researched. Within the medical industry, it is suggested that talent management processes should compose of diverse interview panels, where parties have received unconscious bias training and letters of recommendation should be placed through gender-biased screenings (Oh et al., 2021). Other ways to enhance the promotion of women within the workforce include suitable mentoring and networks that specialize in supporting women (Francis & Stulz, 2020). These networks thrive when they are not tokenistic, and members of the support group can influence company policies and systems. The work from Pillay-Naidoo and Vermeulen (2023) found that female solidarity can act as a protective factor from unfair workplace behaviours, societal expectations, stereotypes and stigmas. Im addition, career shaping mentorship, female recognition and female support through networking and socialization were deemed galvanizing factors that can help strengthen female solidarity.
McElhaney (2020) and their colleagues found that dedicated leadership training that defines sex-based harassment and addresses the root cause of harassment can lead to a change in behaviors. This was linked to male employees understanding the impact of their masculinity. Such awareness can make men less likely to harass and discriminate against women. Well thought out awareness training can create an environment where gender-based issues can be openly discussed and addressed. It has been found that gender-blind training can maintain the status quo and produce gender inequities (Kroese, 2023).
Many mining companies publicly declare and pontificate their goals towards female employment. Transparency and public recognition of diversity targets and initiatives have shown to increase a company’s financial performance and enhance the overall branding through stated goals and aspirations (Cavero-Rubio et al., 2019).
The link between flexibility and female retention has been well documented (Ibrahim et al., 2018). Additional pathways to promote female inclusion include supportive policies and salaries that promote gender equality, flexibility and transparency (Feeney & Stritch, 2019). Despite processes and public proclamations towards gender-based targets and goals, many large tier mining companies fall well short of their targets. As a contained case study into the mining industry, the gold mining industry has been utilised for the purposes of this research.
For the 2023 calendar year, Anglo Gold, stated that their goal of female representation is between 21-25% and their current status is 13% (Anglo Gold, 2024). At Newmont, there is a set target of increasing women in leadership roles by 50% by 2030, whilst current statistics detail that 33% of leadership roles are occupied by women (Newmont, 2024). At Barrick, the focus is on equal opportunity where appointment is based on individual strengths, irrespective of other demographics (Barrick, 2024). This perspective may not punctuate the equilibrium of structural barriers for historically disadvantaged groups. Bishu and Headley (2020) found that gender inequities still exist for women, even with well-considered equal employment opportunity processes are in place. Out of the top tier gold companies in the world that are aiming to increase female representation, Gold Fields appears to be the industry leader with 25% of their workforce being female (Gold Fields, 2024). Consider the graphical representation in Figure 1 below.
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Source: (Developed by Author through Integrated Annual Reports)
Figure 1. Percentage of women across the top tier gold companies.
It is evident that large tier companies in the gold mining sector vocalize their support for diversity, although current gender representation statistics are well below norms compared to other industries such as education and healthcare. Further exploration into the barriers towards female inclusion is needed. Such exploration can create a foundational framework for action and activity. It is hypothesized that gender equity within a business may be hamstrung through structural barriers towards female inclusion. When these barriers are addressed, it can increase gender, racial and ethnic diversity. This can result in the diversity dividend being present, which refers to increased profits due to organisations being able to draw from a range of fresh ideas (Hunt et al., 2018).
3. Research Methodology
The mining sector spans all continents. It is inclusive of multiple commodities and subject to various legislative and political influences. To compare like for like, the gold mining industry will be used as the data pool set. Each company has its own culture that is shaped by leadership systems, environment and processes (Daniel, 2018). Withstanding cultural variations, research into a large top tier mining company can unearth some opportunities to strengthen the promotion and inclusion of women within the business. Systematic findings can assist other resource entities. For this research, a deidentified gold mining company that spans multiple countries and has a workforce of over 20,000 employees will be the data pool set.
The ontology of the research approach is based on an interpretivist/hermeneutics perspective. This is based on the epistemology that people make sense of the world through their own experiences, perceptions, expectations and memories (Flowers, 2019). To further elucidate the experiences of women within the mining sector a qualitative approach has been used. This includes interviews with talent managers and women and men across multiple jurisdictions. Triangulation of data will be through thematic analysis, self-reflexivity and cross-referencing current policies and diversity metrics.
Purposive sampling was used as it is best leveraged in exploratory research and sampling can unearth specific information from the target audience (Neuman, 2011). To ascertain a broader picture of the issues women face working within mining, a total of 1050 permanent employees were engaged through group listening sessions and 205 one-on-one interviews. Sessions were held by a third-party provider to ensure anonymity, impartiality and empirical rigor. An exploratory style interview protocol was used to explore the challenges that women face within mining.
There were 87 groups which were separated based on job positions. Supervisors and managers were interviewed separately due to potential group think and to increase psychological safety for participants. To further enhance psychological safety, listening groups were broken up into women and men, which provided a safe forum for women to openly share their experiences and thoughts. The talent managers across the business were interviewed separately to further explore internal processes and systems that enable women to be promoted within the business.
The sample includes artisans, supervisors, unit managers, leaders and executives. A semi-structured interview protocol was used to ensure validity of the questions asked across multiple jurisdictions. The broader topic explored was in reference towards the experiences of women within the mining sector. Extensive data was captured, and for the purposes of this paper, only data that was linked to gender equity and inclusion will be used. All sessions were held in English, with interpreter services being used for Chile and Peru.
Data gathered through the recruitment and talent managers of the business was centered on talent acquisition practices and the promotion of women. These sub-themes were not directly asked with the broader sample size, as macro information was sought based on the experiences of women across the mining sector. Barriers and obstructions to promotion were found with the larger sample size and were deemed significant given the prevalence of comments.
3.1. Data Analysis
Pre-coding categories were created to help tabulate data into manageable themes for coding and tabulation. Open coding helped identify initial themes, whilst axial coding afforded the ability to organize codes and links between themes. To narrow down the research to align with the core research question, selective coding was used to allow further examination and illustration of themes.
A similar process was followed when reviewing all internal documents associated with recruitment and talent management. Coding of the policies and procedures was undertaken via the backdrop of the literature review, which detailed suggestions and shortcomings of the talent management process in terms of promoting women within the business. An illustrative method allowed theoretical concepts to be contextualized with real world experiences and examples that were provided by participants.
3.2. Research Rigor and Ethical Considerations
Triangulation of data was deemed necessary to enhance quality of data and to observe and anlayse data through varying perspectives. Self-reflexivity was exercised during the coding process and thematic analysis of policies and procedures. The aim was to ensure accuracy and integrity of data, as detailed through the work of Guba and Lincoln (2008). A thick description of data was used where quotes aid the transferability of information. To be aligned with the scope of the study, quotes and data used were in alignment with the research question.
All employees who participated in listening sessions or interviews were given the same preamble regarding the voluntary nature of the engagement and bounds of confidentiality. This included clauses that all information will be deidentified, no identifying demographics will be shared with the company, and participants could withdraw their consent at any time. Psychological support was offered through Employee Assistance Programs, if anyone suffered an abreaction or was triggered by any sensitive content that was discussed.
4. Analysis & Results
Statistics and trend data were captured across the company. The descriptive statistics provided below are based on the calendar year for 2023 and trend data is leading up to the end of 2023. Statistics are based on the total male and female workforce. Further details are outlined in Table 1.
Year on year improvements have been made which reflects progress. Additional
Table 1. Promotions, representation and turn over.
|
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
| % of women in business |
20% |
22% |
23.29% |
24.82% |
| % of women in leadership |
21% |
23% |
24.65% |
26.88% |
| % of women promoted |
19% |
24% |
29.71% |
34.23% |
| % of women turn over |
22% |
24% |
27.17% |
21.49% |
Source: (Internal and external statsitics relating to human resource metrics).
rolling average statistics for 2023 indicated the following:
6.7% of total women in the business are promoted.
5.4% of total men in the business are promoted.
10.7% of total women leave the business.
8.3% of total men leave the business.
Other trend data based on the statistics detailed the following:
Over 3.5 years there has been a 4.12% increase in women in the business.
Over 3.5 years there has been a 5.75% increase in female leaders.
Over 3.5 years there has been a 9.21% increase in women being promoted.
4.1. Qualitative Data from Employees
Over 1000 employees participated in focus groups where specific themes emerged around bullying, racism and harassment. In alignment with the scope of this study, a theme emerged pertaining to barriers towards female inclusion and promotion. Some of the representative comments around female promotion included:
1) “Men ask women for sex all the time to get jobs or to get a promotion”.
2) “As a woman ‘you get boxed in’ for certain roles and levels”.
3) “The rates of promotion of black women are very low. They don’t consider us”.
4) “We usually see people appointing males for opportunities and promotions”.
5) “There is no promotion or opportunity for career development and training. It is so demotivating”.
Representative comments were that referenced the evolution of gender equity within the mining sector were captured. Comments included:
1) “It is certainly better for women now. Before we were invisible”.
2) “Women have the same experiences as men here. Our skills and experiences are valued”.
3) “Women and men are definitely equal”.
4) “It has gotten better over time”.
Some men within the sample size voiced their concerns about the focus on women in mining. In isolated areas, there was a backlash towards diversity efforts. Comments included:
1) “It’s all a numbers game”.
2) “There is no point applying for a job, when you know, they are going to hire a lesser experienced female”.
3) “It should be the best person for the job-regardless of gender”.
4) “Whatever happened to the best person for the job?”
It was shared that the consequences of such hiring and promotion practices may adversely influence production and the quality of work that is produced. There were 7 people consulted with who are responsible for recruitment and talent management in their relevant jurisdiction. Some of the themes that emerged included a lack of details on female recruitment in current policies. Prioritizing female applicants for roles was the stated focus, although the practice is not formally documented in accompanying policies and procedures. Variances existed across different continents, where gender blind resumes are being trialed in South America. This is when the managers are unaware of the sex of the applicant. In South Africa, a women’s advisory council made up of employees has been established.
4.2. Policy Analysis
A policy review was undertaken which included a review of the Group Talent Management and Group Recruitment Policy against current best practices and empirical evidence. Strengths of the policies included references to an equitable and non-discriminatory process and the use of multiple methods to strengthen the talent management process. The review of the policies was centered on practices of promoting women into leadership roles and equitable practices for under-represented groups.
After review of the Group policies, it was noted that there are some opportunities to include information pertaining to the promotion of under-represented groups within the business. In reference to empirical research and best practice, some information that was excluded in the policies to strengthen the company’s position on removing structural barriers towards women include the following:
Equity clauses pertaining to under-represented groups across the business.
Psychometrics to be culturally appropriate and sensitive to people from a range of demographics.
Establish quotas of diverse people who are to be included in the recruitment process.
Interview panels for senior positions to be made up of people from a broad range of backgrounds.
Absence of an equal opportunity statement.
Under internal recruitment and promotions, include provisions for under-represented employees.
Absence of the provision that all communications are to be written in gender-neutral language.
Lack of reference to ESG goals or a position statement towards equity targets.
5. Discussion
A discrepancy exists based on what is communicated externally to stakeholders about gender equity and promotion and what is reflected in the internal policies, procedures and experiences of employees. A lack of alignment between internal and external messages or factors may create an illusion of commitment unless practices are reflected in supporting policies and procedures. When discrepancies exist, a dual culture may be created of what is espoused and what is practiced. An absence of clear guidelines can dilute recruitment processes and create skepticism (Dries & Kaše, 2023).
Current statistics from the company studied in this research indicated that the company is not retaining women at a sustained rate compared to men. This is a trend that is not uncommon amongst mining (MacDonald & Hoyle, 2021). Without focusing on retention of under-represented groups, the hiring costs and loss of female talent may continue, unless supportive and streamlined activities are implemented (Cavero-Rubio et al., 2019). An absence of supportive networks or programs may create a sense of alienation for new employees, especially women who may be new to mining (Bishu & Headlet, 2020).
Intersectionality plays a part when looking at barriers towards female promotion. The same challenges raised with female promotion may cross over to people from under-represented backgrounds (Corneille et al., 2018). Without consideration of intersectionality, equity in recruitment practices may be forsaken. An absence of mentoring or support groups could further increase the challenges of integration and opportunities for women (Francis & Stulz, 2020).
Talent management processes that are siloed from recruitment activities may bypass opportunities for under-represented groups to be promoted or recruited within the business. Without integration and oversight, the gender gap will continue to grow and opportunities for female promotion may be missed. Without formalized integration and communication, opportunities for women and people from under-represented backgrounds may be overlooked. Lack of development and awareness into biases and inequities can perpetuate masculine traits that are linked with leadership. If not addressed, this notion will continue the status quo and negatively impact female promotion and opportunities for under-represented groups (McElhaney et al., 2020).
Internal information captured across the company details a level of suspicion regarding talent management and recruitment processes. A lack of clear process may create perceptions of nepotism, which may feed into politicking and employees losing faith with the business. Partnerships with regulators and governing bodies can provide a level of prestige that will enhance transparency and equity.
Results of the review are significant, although the transferability to other mining sectors may require a broader sample size of companies across multiple commodities. An inference was made that with such low gender representation across the industry, similar challenges may be present across various companies.
5.1. Framework for Change (4S Model)
Analysis and review of the data has been referenced to the literature. As a result, a framework has been devised that is aimed at addressing structural barriers, navigating enabling systems, providing support for employees and development of skills for employees and vulnerable groups. The model is detailed in Figure 2.
Without adequate support, women may feel isolated or disadvantaged compared to male counterparts. An equity vision or statement from senior leadership can help establish expectations and set the tone of equality. Supportive peers and advocates can create a sense of belonging and be trusted confidants
Source: (Developed for this research).
Figure 2. 4S Model for addressing barriers to promoting women incluision in mining.
when guidance or advice is needed. Internal advocates may be based on talent management processes or through third party reviews of performance.
Specific training and development can address gender stereotypes and minimize the male backlash towards women in mining. When embedded into onboarding and induction processes, the desired behaviours can be well defined and act as an antecedent for respectful behavior. Respectful workplace training can target harmful behaviours linked to bullying, racism and harassment and include up-stander training. Targeted development for women can provide platforms for addressing any biases or stereotypes that may be experienced. To ensure longevity of outcomes and behavioral change, any learning modalities will need to be supported through embedding processes that reinforce learning.
Structural barriers need to be considered to enhance female career promotion which includes a change in responsibility or pay. If not addressed, then any activities may be cosmetic and not have deep meaningful change. Structural considerations include the composition of teams and provision of flexible work arrangements. Learning from other industries can generate innovative ideas that can form best practice. Expressing your opinion can also be established through psychologically safe employee forums.
Systems can help guide behaviour and contextualized policies and procedures can help provide the blueprint of what is expected and accepted. Third party audits can ensure the integrity of systems is valid and reliable. A critique of talent management and recruitment activities can aide transparency of processes and ensure any human resource metrics are accurate.
Application of the 4S Model would require consideration of the cultural, legal, social and political environment of an organisation. Conceptually, the elements in the 4S model can act as a pre-cursor for change. Contextualization based on the maturity of an organisation may influence the implementation of the variables discussed.
The 4S model is not insular and is instead part of a broader eco-system that aims to address barriers to female promotion from multiple vantage points. Application of the 4S framework may address barriers towards female employment, and if not detailed and elucidated well, it may contribute to further backlash from male employees.
5.2. Implications
Implementing structural change can create ripple effects with well-established processes and practices. Change management principles will need to be applied well to avoid malaise and resistance. Instructional design and facilitation of learning programs will need to be culturally appropriate and consider adult learning principles to ensure engagement and retention of knowledge. Communities of practice and well-structured mentoring processes may aid collaboration across boundaries, whilst supporting under-represented groups. Information gathered from listening sessions highlighted the current reality that women could be better supported within the mining sector. Industry representation of women may continue to remain low, unless visible and long-lasting change is implemented.
Unsupportive processes can be inimical to supporting women with mining. Leaders that adopt the 4S model have a blueprint for change, although actions may be faced with backlash. Through the listening sessions, there was a theme of discontent from male employees based on activities aimed at supporting women. Any further structural and systemic changes may interrupt the equilibrium of entrenched behaviours that unassumingly might have been supporting the current predicament.
The zeitgeist towards women in mining is clear and strong messaging from leadership will be needed to address inequities of the past and outline the advantages of having a diverse workforce. A clear vision that is unparalleled and matched with authenticity may be the influencers in creating a compelling message for change.
6. Conclusion
The findings of this study may be applicable to other under-represented groups. This may include people with disabilities, people of colour or neurodiverse individuals. Pontification of aspirational goals towards gender equity within mining is futile unless there is meaningful action and support behind such targets. This research has demonstrated that even within a large mining organisation that is resourced well, there are discrepancies between espoused processes and visible actions. Barriers to female promotion have been linked to poor advocacy, unsupportive processes, structural challenges and lack of shared understanding. From our case study, there seems to be a foundational predicament. Women are being promoted at higher rates, although retention is still lower than men. The quagmire remains. The recruitment and attraction of women into the mining industry can be successful, although only as successful as the retention of staff. If developmental opportunities and support for women within mining are lacking, the turnover rate will be a constant turnstile of people leaving the industry. The 4S framework can be the blueprint in changing the tide.
Challenges exist across the mining industry with retaining female staff. The 4S model provides a framework to address structural barriers through well-considered team composition, flexible work arrangements, pay-parity and forums to share shared experiences. With structural changes considered, systems can be nuanced and catered towards best practices, inclusive of third-party audits, diversity on interview panels and transparency in HR metrics. Supporting women can be a multi-faceted endeavor that includes mentoring, support networks and internal advocates. Development of skills can establish capability that can equip women to overcome some of the challenges they experience. Training is not secular to one gender but can include broader respectful workplace training to help everyone understand expectations and consequences of prejudice, discrimination and harassment. The prime enabling factor of the 4S model would be visionary leadership.
Acknowledgements
The researchers appreciate all individuals who candidly shared their experiences with them. Openly sharing one’s experiences can be daunting. With the information captured, a compelling business case can be exercised to remove structural barriers to women being promoted and included within mining.