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

Section 2 – The rationale for integrating
gender into community work in mining
For Rio Tinto, gender matters in order to:
– minimise negative impacts of mining;
– gain and maintain a social licence to operate;
– support local and Indigenous employment opportunities;
– uphold corporate commitments to human rights;
– advance Rio Tinto’s sustainable development objectives; and
– improve access to finance.
Background reader
Minimise negative impacts and
reduce risk to vulnerable groups
Rio Tinto has a responsibility to
ensure that adverse impacts and
social risks are minimised and do
not fall disproportionately on any
one section of the population.
There is clear evidence that in
certain contexts women are
particularly vulnerable to mining
development. Part 2 – Guidance on
“how to”’ provides some guidance
for operations to ensure that
women and men are consulted
and not further marginalised or
adversely impacted by its activities.
This includes people who are
unable or unwilling to participate
in the business of mining, or
related activities. Avoiding social
harm and minimising negative
impacts can also help ensure
a more stable workforce and
community context.
Gain and maintain a social
licence to operate
Rio Tinto aims to adequately
consider the perspectives of local
communities, minorities and
marginalised groups, and develop
a social licence to operate.
However, there are groups of
women from around the world
who continue to highlight the
fact that mining often fails to take
account of women’s perspectives.
Women are using their agency
and being supported by powerful
actors such as the World Bank
Group through its Gender Action
Plan and International Finance
Corporation programmes that
target women in the extractive
industry. International NGOs
such as Oxfam Australia have also
supported initiatives such as the
International Women in Mining
Network. Women are increasingly
challenging the industry’s social
licence to operate and calling for
more attention to the gendered
impacts of mining.
Engagement with women at all
stages of mining development
will enable a greater level of
involvement and ideally a more
robust social licence to operate.
Social licence to operate is not
something to be taken for granted
and it can change over time with
political, economic and stakeholder
relationship circumstances.
Local employment opportunities
The focus of this guide is upon
the work of Rio Tinto’s
Communities team, but it is
important to recognise the links
between community relations
and employment. One of the
most obvious benefits that a
mine can offer is employment,
either directly with the mine or
in associated employment, such
as businesses that service the
mine. A common expectation
is that mining will bring
employment, and lack of
equitable employment for local
and Indigenous people (and
particularly women in these
groups) can become a point of
tension between companies and
communities. Local employment
needs to be sensitively managed
to give women equal opportunity
to access employment.
Beyond this, the industry’s ability
to address issues such as pay
disparities, attracting women
to non-traditional careers and
addressing mining’s “old school”
image are increasingly important.
Rio Tinto’s broader diversity
strategy addresses some of these
employment considerations.
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