Demonstrating that diversity creates value
The positive impacts of sharing best practices are widely recognized. In a context where transformation is both necessary and complex, leaders in change demonstrate that it can be achieved and yields positive results for all stakeholders. Sharing best practices also plays an essential role in the generation of innovative ideas and solutions, participating in demonstrated performance and productivity increases for these organisations and industries.
IWiM acts for change by seeking to enable leaders and managers across the mining industry to make better-informed decisions on matters of diversity, gender equality and inclusion, challenging the status quo and increasing expectations that all industry actors realise this potential.
IWiM aims to lead global change in attitudes and behaviour to achieve gender equality in mining. Our impact goal is the development of knowledge-driven policies, impactful decisions and measurable progress towards achieving gender equality in the extractives industry.
The first step to change is industry-wide acknowledgment of its necessity and possibility. It is therefore important, though not sufficient, to increase awareness of the improvements needed and the opportunities available for women to thrive in mining. In addition, IWiM acts for the change it advocates as a source of proposals, emulating best practice and/or developing innovative approaches through collaborative research, policy work and advocacy.
This is achieved through:
Global Campaigns focusing on sharing best practices and/or advocating for women in mining, including the Inclusive Workplace Design in Mining initiative;
Advocating for granular gender disaggregated data
Thought Leadership and Research projects, often conducted in partnership with leading organisations and policy shapers; and
Collating and sharing resources in the form of best practices and reports in our Gender and Mining Library issued by various organisations pursuing similar transformation goals in extractives and/or other industrial sectors.
Participating in international working groups on gender focused on natural resources
Peer reviewing papers and reports with a gender lens
The call for change: from awareness to action
Attracting and retaining talent is a priority for mining, yet women remain under-represented: this is true in numbers, but also in the images, perception and discourse around mining. IWiM is addressing this by shining a light on women in mining (WIM).
This is not only about alerting stakeholders to the specific risks and challenges they encounter; it is also about celebrating their unique and outstanding contributions to the industry.
Creating positive role models for other women, whilst simultaneously putting the gender parity, diversity and inclusion agenda at the centre of mining conversations, is essential. Awareness is only the first step: even as leaders develop best practices and demonstrate the value derived from true diversity in their organisations, the situation of women in mining is not evolving universally or consistently. IWiM tirelessly raises the issues faced by women, and flags opportunities to increase the representation, recognition and role of women in all mining disciplines and at all levels of the value chain.
Increasingly, IWiM participates in policy work that formalises the progress of this agenda, in collaboration with WIM organisations worldwide, global businesses, investors, industry associations and international organisations pursuing similar transformation goals in extractives and/or other industrial sectors.