Modern Mining August 2025

WOMEN IN MINING

Women leading change in mining - De Beers drives gender equity with purpose The mining industry has long been dominated by men, but companies like De Beers are actively reshaping this narrative. In South Africa, women still account for less than 20% of the mining workforce, according to the Minerals Council. Globally, the industry reflects a similar pattern with women comprising just 15 to 20% of the workforce. However, with new gender equity targets now gazetted for the mining and quarrying sector - including 24.4% female representation at Top Management level by 2030 – transformation is gaining traction.

A t De Beers Group, transformation is not a tick-box exercise. It is a strategic imperative. Coral Wheelock, Senior Vice President - People Partnering, Mining and Discovery, spoke to Modern Mining. “Gender parity is both a moral obligation and a business necessity. A diverse workforce drives innovation, strengthens safety and enhances performance, all of which are essential in mining,” she explains. De Beers has set itself the ambitious goal of achieving 40 to 60% female representation across its workforce by 2030. Current figures in South Africa show significant progress, with women already comprising 33% of Top Management and 36% of Senior Management. “We are slightly behind at Middle Management level at 32%, but we have seen about a 5% improvement in Senior and Middle Management since 2018. This is a substantial shift in a traditionally male-dominated space,” Wheelock notes. The company’s strategy is multi-dimensional. In 2017, De Beers partnered with UN Women to align with a global leader in gender equality and reaffirmed its commitment by renewing the partnership in 2021. As part of the HeForShe

Alliance, De Beers is also focusing on accelerating the inclusion of women in technical and leadership roles. Locally, progress has been driven by deliberate and practical action. “We are intentional in our talent acquisition,” says Wheelock. “We focus on attracting women into leadership and technical roles, while also building the pipeline by awarding full time bursaries to female students from labour sending areas and prioritising qualified female candidates for apprenticeships.” Beyond recruitment, development is a major focus. De Beers runs targeted mentorship programmes for female graduates, frontline leadership development for supervisors and invests in entrepreneurship through its EntreprenHer initiative, which has supported over 3,000 women entrepreneurs across Botswana, South Africa and Namibia to date. “Still,” Wheelock explains, “there are hurdles. The mining industry’s deeply entrenched male oriented culture, a limited STEM talent pipeline and the often remote and rugged nature of mining operations all contribute to challenges in attracting and retaining female talent. “Historically, mining has not been a welcoming

Coral Wheelock, Senior Vice President - People Partnering, Mining and Discovery at De Beers Group.

22  MODERN MINING  www.modernminingmagazine.co.za | AUGUST 2026