Modern Mining August 2023

beyond gender representation

Within the company, De Beers Group has imple mented measures to attract and retain women in various roles. The organisation has developed an inclusion and diversity policy commitment, provided unconscious bias training and offered guidance on inclusion and diversity in hiring processes. De Beers Group recognises the significant contri butions made by women in their mining operations. Mapiloko shares examples of women who have excelled within the company, including Violet Molala, Lerato Radebe, Razia Adam and Sherene Salmon. These women have demonstrated expertise, lead ership, and commitment to their respective roles, positively impacting the company and furthering its goals of gender diversity and inclusion. To ensure equal opportunities for career advance ment, De Beers Group prioritises learnerships and learning programmes to empower their employees, especially women, with relevant skills. Additionally, the company has established a programme that identifies key female talent and provides them with board experience to broaden their knowledge of the business. De Beers Group actively engages with schools, colleges and communities to encourage young women to consider careers in the mining industry. Here, they collaborate with WomEng to host work shops and mentoring programmes, enabling young girls to learn from women in technical roles. Through these initiatives, De Beers Group aims to provide opportunities and expose young women to potential careers in STEM fields. To track progress in gender diversity and inclusion, De Beers Group uses metrics and key performance indicators. They participate in the HeForShe campaign and as a HeForShe Champion, the CEO of De Beers Group provides an annual prog ress report to the HeForShe Alliance Impact Report, ensuring accountability for their commitments. Looking ahead, De Beers Group has set future goals and aspirations regarding gender diversity and women’s representation within the mining business. They aim to focus on psychological safety, inclusive leadership and the development of action plans based on employee feedback. The company targets achieving specific representation percentages by 2025 and gender parity by 2030. “In conclusion, De Beers Group’s commitment to gender diversity and inclusion in the mining indus try is evident through its initiatives, partnerships and support for women’s professional growth. By promoting equal opportunities and recognising the contributions of women, as a company we strive to create a diverse and inclusive work environment while driving business excellence, Mapiloko con cludes. 

Above: Female miners in conversation at the Venetia Mine processing plant. Left: A female environmental scientist in the laboratory at Gahcho Kué Mine in Canada.

Showcasing female talent at De Beers Violet Molala is the first female Section Manager for Top of Mine at Venetia Underground. Her previous role as a miner overseer and experience in lead ing large shaft sinking projects contributed to her success. Violet’s approach involves planning and executing the company’s goals, driven by the motivation to see the organisation grow and achieve personal success. Lerato Radebe has been the Vessel Manager for the mV Coral Sea since 2011. She joined De Beers in 2005 as a metallurgist and played a pivotal role in suc cessfully transitioning the Coral Sea from sampling to a fully operational mining vessel. Lerato emphasises the importance of embracing equity and providing women of all races with opportunities to contribute diverse perspectives to the future of the business. Razia Adam , a Research Scientist at Ignite SA, is passionate about science and engineering. She believes women bring a unique perspective and skill set to STEM and engineering, which have historically been male-dominated fields. Razia actively promotes awareness of opportunities within STEM and engineer ing for students from underprivileged universities. Sherene Salmon works as an Electrical Engineer at De Beers Marine. She is part of a dynamic team providing engineering support to Debmarine Namibia’s offshore mining vessels. Sherene is committed to lifelong learning and seizing opportunities. She takes pride in breaking barriers and honouring women who have paved the way, while also inspiring future generations of women.

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August 2023  MODERN MINING  31