Why gender matters - Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining ...

How to – Plan and implement
2.5 Links to other functions
An effective Rio Tinto
Communities practitioner
will already understand the
importance of influencing the
plans and operational procedures
of other departments. For
example, the Human Resources
department is responsible for
workforce planning, sourcing,
recruitment, development and
talent management.
Human Resources therefore
has a critical role in facilitating
Rio Tinto’s commitment to building
a diverse workforce (age, gender,
ethnicity (including Indigenous
groups), nationality, sexual
orientation, disabilities, language)
and to sharing the benefits of
project development and operation
with a diversity of stakeholders
(local and regional communities,
governments, multilaterals,
NGOs, traditional owners,
customers, markets, suppliers).
Rio Tinto’s diversity strategy has
placed a priority on building a
gender-balanced workforce and
specific changes to enable this
have been incorporated in to
recruitment, talent development
and succession planning
policies and practices. Similarly,
Procurement departments
have a role in ensuring that
supplier selection and review
processes and practices provide
equal opportunity to both male
and female entrepreneurs and
business owners to do business
with the company. Active
collaboration across these and
other functions will ensure
a sustainable and systematic
approach to integrating gender.
In the case studies 10 and 11
from Rio Tinto Iron Ore Pilbara
Operations and Kennecott Utah
Copper, we can see some of the
strategies that have been used by
the Human Resources function
to investigate and address gender
factors that were providing barriers
to employment at Rio Tinto.
Equally important to integrating
gender considerations into our
business are the policies and
practices of other parts of the
organisation, such as Human
Resources, Procurement, and Health,
Safety and Environment.
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