Diversity and inclusion in mining: An analysis of indicators used in sustainability reporting

The mining industry is increasingly turning to Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) programs to address a range of challenges including an aging workforce, increased public pressure, and growing demand for innovative technical solutions to mining problems. However, there is a lack of information on D&I initiatives in mining contexts, creating one barrier to adoption and development of these programs. To determine how and to what extent companies are reporting on their D&I programs, we conducted an analysis of twenty-six D&I-related indicators in the public sustainability reports of eight major metals mining companies from 2012-2019. This analysis demonstrates greater attention being paid to D&I over time and a preference for reporting on simple indicators which are relatively easy to obtain, such as demographics and policies. However, reporting on ethnic diversity and established industry goals that do not have corresponding GRI standards was extremely limited, and there was a decline in reporting of several indicators of structural aspects of employee inclusion, presenting a potentially concerning trend. We conclude that while some progress is being made, increasing D&I reporting in the mining industry remains a promising means of boosting the global equity of the industry and aligning with the 2015 UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Automated summary

The mining industry is increasingly focusing on Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) programs, but tends to prefer reporting on simple indicators such as demographics and policies while reporting on ethnic diversity and industry goals is limited. Despite some progress being made, there is a concerning trend of decreasing reporting on structural aspects of employee inclusion. Increasing D&I reporting in the mining industry remains a promising means of promoting global industry equity and aligning with the 2015 UN Sustainable Development Goals.