Average of the best scores achieved collectively by all companies for each one of the indicators under the thematic area
Average of the scores achieved by each one of the companies under this thematic area
The 0.00-6.00 scale is the scoring scale used in the assessment.
Summary of results
The Working Conditions thematic area results show that the companies as a whole still have much room for continuous improvement in moving towards meeting society expectations, with companies in general showing little or no action on many issues. The companies with three strongest results, Anglo American, Polymetal and CODELCO, show evidence of measures to address, respectively, the risks of child and forced labour, the rights of workers to organise, and the health and safety needs of women workers.
Some of the weakest results are seen on issues such as protecting women workers from harassment and violence and tracking, and reviewing the effectiveness of worker grievance mechanisms.
Leading practices in Working Conditions include collaboration with worker representatives in the design of strategies to improve health and safety, measures to attract and retain a gender-diverse workforce, and efforts to address the needs of workers with young children.
E.01 Occupational Health and Safety
E.01.1
CommitmentThe company commits to ensure safe and healthy working conditions.
Observation
Most companies show evidence of a formalised commitment to ensure safe and healthy working conditions and most have also assigned senior management responsibility for carrying out these commitments. Two-thirds of companies also show at least some evidence of having committed staffing and/or financial resources to implement their commitments on health and safety in the workplace.
E.01.2
ActionThe company has systems in place to ensure its operations engage with worker representatives to collaboratively identify, assess and address health and safety risks to its workforce.
Observation
Only a few companies demonstrate a significant level of engagement with workers’ representatives on the identification of occupational health and safety risks. The same few companies show evidence of collaboration with worker representatives in the development of strategies and plans to avoid and address such risks. There is very little evidence of companies tracking the implementation of health and safety strategies and plans developed in collaboration with workers’ representatives.
Related Leading Practices
- Collaboration between senior management and employees for safety leadership
Collaboration between senior management and employees for safety leadership
Teck
Teck’s Courageous Safety Leadership (CSL) programme has been in place since 2009, and now it is in its fourth phase of implementation (CSL4). The CSL4 focuses on collaboration between senior management and employees in jointly reviewing safety culture, identifying challenges and opportunities, and creating joint commitments to improve the company’s safety system. In addition, to realise the established safety commitments, accountability mechanism are put in place to hold all parties responsible. In 2018, Teck conducted trainings on CSL4 for its employees and an ‘Introduction to CSL programme’ for new employees and contractors to emphasize the importance of the CSL and enhance the company’s safety culture.
E.01.3
ActionThe company has systems in place to ensure its operations protect women workers from harassment and violence.
Observation
Very few companies show any evidence of having systems in place to protect women workers from intimidation, harassment, sexual harassment, and violence. While several companies have addressed one or two of these issues, very few companies demonstrate that they have established corporate guidelines addressing all these dimensions.
Related Leading Practices
- Prevention of sexual and moral harassment
Prevention of sexual and moral harassment
CODELCO
CODELCO’s ‘Guidelines on Maternity Protection, Prevention of Sexual and Moral Harassment and Intrafamily Violence’ set out measures for its operations to prevent gender-based violence, harassment and discrimination, promote women workers’ careers, enable safe working conditions for women and promote healthy family life. Gender awareness workshops, dissemination of the Guidelines and education training by external parties are organised to keep the workers informed and well aware of the Guidelines. The Guidelines also address family violence, including the prevention and detection of domestic violence and procedures for referral to appropriate public institutions.
E.01.4
ActionThe company has systems in place to ensure its operations address the health and safety needs of women workers.
Observation
Very few companies show evidence of having systems in place to ensure their operations provide gender-appropriate sanitation facilities. A handful of companies demonstrate that they have systems in place to ensure their operations provide gender-appropriate safety equipment. Few companies show evidence of systems to ensure their operations provide gender-appropriate health services. Only one company shows evidence of having systems in place to ensure their operations address all three issues, at least to some extent.
Related Leading Practices
- Comprehensive programmes to improve the provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for female workers
- Risk assessment of female workers using male-design Personal Protective Equipment
Comprehensive programmes to improve the provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for female workers
AngloGold Ashanti
Exxaro Resources
On the basis of the provisions of South Africa's Mining Health and Safety Act (MHSA) and specific guidelines of the country's Department of Mineral Resources, companies are required to prepare Codes of Practice on the Provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for Women in the South Africa Mining Region. These mandatory Codes of Practice set out risk management processes, responsibilities of employers, managers and female workers, and the measures to select, provide and maintain suitable PPE for female mining workers. The Codes also set out action plans for the implementation of these measures. Companies that have disclosed site-specific Codes of Practice include, for example, AngloGold Ashanti and Exxaro.
Risk assessment of female workers using male-design Personal Protective Equipment
AngloGold Ashanti
In 2014, AngloGold Ashanti carried out a detailed assessment of the risks faced by female workers from their use of male-designed PPE. The assessment was conducted partly as an interactive workshop attended by female representatives of all the companies mining operations. All in-stock PPE items listed in the AngloGold Ashanti catalogue were displayed and each item was risk assessed. The women present raised their concerns and any risks were identified and ranked as low, medium and high. For example, one high-risk item identified was the dust mask, which was generally too big for women's faces so was not sufficiently close-fitting to be effective. The assessment also involved a desk study of scientific literature on anatomical differences between the male and female body that could affect the efficacy of PPE equipment. Finally, the assessment generated specific recommendations on how the risks identified could be mitigated, by for example making available alternative design or smaller sizes for particular items of equipment.
E.01.5
ActionThe company publicly discloses data on mining-related high potential incidents, serious injuries and fatalities among its workforce.
Observation
While workplace health and safety is a major focus of mining companies, public reporting on fatalities and serious injuries is often lacking in detail. Only half of the companies provide mine-site-disaggregated data on fatalities, and no company provides such data for both fatalities and serious injuries. Most of the companies specify that their publicly reported data on fatalities covers contract workers as well as employees..
Related Leading Practices
- Disclosure of long time-series data on fatalities
Disclosure of long time-series data on fatalities
Coal India
In 2016 Coal India published a report documenting trends in workplace accident statistics. The report includes a data table of fatal accidents and fatalities, serious accidents and injuries, and injury and fatality rates, with all data from 1975 to 2015.
E.02 Elimination of Forced Labour and Child Labour
E.02.1
ActionThe company has systems in place to identify and assess potential risks of all forms of forced, compulsory, trafficked and child labour in its areas of operations and entire supply chain, and to design and implement strategies to address identified risks.
Observation
Most companies have systems in place to identify and assess child and forced labour related risks. About half of the companies have established strategies and plans to address, at least to some degree, the risks of child and forced labour in their operations and among their suppliers. Companies subject to the UK Modern Slavery Act generally provide more evidence of their work on this issue, although the level of reporting varies greatly. Few companies demonstrate that they track the implementation of strategies and plans established to address child and forced labour-related risks.
E.03 Non-Discrimination and Equal Opportunity
E.03.1
ActionThe company has systems in place to ensure its operations base their recruitment and employment practices on the principle of equal opportunity, in order to prevent all forms of discrimination in the workplace and promote workforce diversity.
Observation
Half of the companies show evidence of specific measures to reflect non-discrimination policies in their terms and conditions, and a similar number implement trainings to raise awareness on discrimination or take other actions aimed at preventing and addressing issues of discrimination in the workplace. Less than half of the companies publicly set targets regarding diversity and inclusivity in their recruitment and employment practices. Only a few companies publicly set targets regarding diversity and inclusivity in their recruitment and employment practices for more than one group of marginalised workers.
Related Leading Practices
- Gender parity target (1)
- Campaigns on workforce diversity and inclusion
- Comprehensive gender equality policy
- Promoting gender diversity in mining workforces
- Development of an Early Warning System for gender barriers
- Enhanced job security for disadvantaged groups
- Addressing the needs of parents and parents-to-be in workforce
- Addressing the needs of victims of domestic violence
Gender parity target (1)
BHP
In 2016, with female staff accounting for 17% of its workforce, BHP set out a plan for the company to achieve gender parity by 2025. The plan includes linking the bonuses of the most senior staff to achieving a 3% increase in female staff each year.
Campaigns on workforce diversity and inclusion
Vale
In 2016 Vale launched two campaigns in Brazil on the value of diversity and inclusion within its workforce. The first campaign, 'We value all differences' addressed the topics of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, nationality and region. The nine-week campaign included weekly notes in the internal communication vehicles and social networking platforms highlighting Vale's views on different aspects of diversity. The Administration and the Human Resources teams were trained to discuss these issues via four virtual meetings, online trainings, and the dissemination of direct communication material. The second campaign 'Indicate Vale to People with Disabilities' sought to motivate staff to encourage any disabled and job-seeking acquaintances to consider applying to Vale.
Comprehensive gender equality policy
AngloGold Ashanti
AngloGold Ashanti has developed and disclosed a comprehensive policy on Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women. The policy, produced in 2015, is based on UN Women's Empowerment Principles and covers gender equality in the workforce as well as in its relations with communities. The policy specifies a number of strategic interventions and specific actions to ensure gender equality in, for example, recruitment, remuneration, family friendly practices, communication, monitoring and evaluation.
Promoting gender diversity in mining workforces
CODELCO
In line with Chile’s 2012 national standard on ‘Gender equality and reconciliation of professional, family and personal life’ (NCh3262, 2012), CODELCO adopted a Gender Diversity Strategy in 2015. This led to the creation of a Corporate Gender Diversity Directorate, Gender Diversity Leaders, and the implementation of Gender Round Tables at each operational centre. Specific gender-related KPIs are now included in performance requirements, in agreement with trade unions, and an action plan to fill the gaps identified during a gender gap analysis has been developed. Some practical actions on the ground include modifications of infrastructures to provide safety, hygiene and comfort conditions for women (including pregnant women) as well as men, such as separate changing rooms and bathrooms, rooms for expressing and storing breast milk, and gender-appropriate Personal Protective Equipment.
CODELCO and Antofagasta participated in a project coordinated by the Cielo Research Centre in Chile’s Santo Tomás University between 2017 and 2018, which investigated the inclusion of women in the country’s mining industry. Following an initial diagnostic study of gender-related barriers, which led to the design of a comprehensive management model for the sustainable inclusion of women in mining, a pilot study has been implemented to establish an Early Warning alert system to pick up the existence of such barriers and address them at an early stage to reduce the incidence of women dropping out of the mining workforce. The system involves the simultaneous analysis of 22 observable factors, which would not have triggered any action had they been considered individually but that collectively represent a significant barrier to women’s participation in mining workforces.
Enhanced job security for disadvantaged groups
Evraz
Evraz goes further than Russian law requirements in providing protection against redundancy for some categories of disadvantaged groups among its employees. Employment protection is granted to single fathers, people whose spouse is retired or unemployed, young adults raised in orphanage, newly graduated employees, people with disabilities, family members of a worker killed in an occupational accident and those whose health was impacted by the Chernobyl accident.
Addressing the needs of parents and parents-to-be in workforce
Orano
In line with French regulations and as part of its three-year group-wide gender equity plan signed in 2019 with all representative workers’ unions in France, Orano gives special consideration to parents and parents-to-be within its workforce. Measures include providing more flexibility in work schedules for pregnant women, employees whose partner is pregnant, and parents of school-age children. After birth, parents who take parental leave maintain their previous job position when they come back to work, and their first year of parental leave counts as one additional year of seniority. To help tackle the gender gap in wages and in pensions after retirement, women on maternity leave or parents working part-time are entitled to the same level of average pay raise as their colleagues, or the average of their last three years’ pay increases, whichever is highest.
Addressing the needs of victims of domestic violence
Fortescue
Fortescue released a Family and Domestic Violence Leave Policy in 2018 to provide practical solutions towards ending violence against women. The company has put in place practical actions, such as flexible work arrangements or allowing time off for all employees (including part-time and casual employees) to take care of their personal issues regarding their safety, the safety of relatives, or to attend court hearings or access police services.
E.04 Rights to Organise, Collective Bargaining and Freedom of Association
E.04.1
ActionThe company has systems in place to ensure its operations actively respect the rights of workers to organise, collective bargaining and freedom of association.
Observation
A handful of companies show evidence of having systems in place to ensure their operations respect the rights of workers to organise, including by granting access to designated areas for labour organisers to meet with workers. Two-thirds of the companies show some evidence of having systems to ensure respect for the rights of workers to collective bargaining, including by developing formal collective bargaining agreements. Most companies show evidence of systems to ensure their operations respect the rights of workers to freedom of association.
E.05 Living Wage
E.05.1
EffectivenessThe company tracks, reviews and acts to improve its performance on ensuring that its workers' wages meet or exceed verified living wage standards, or legal minimum wage, whichever is the highest.
Observation
None of the companies track and disclose wages against the living wage on a company-wide basis. One company does track contractor wages to ensure it pays a living wage, but at one mine-site only. One company is an accredited Living Wage Employer in the UK. A handful of companies track and disclose wages against the legal minimum wage, but make no mention of living wage.
E.06 Collective Redundancy Management
E.06.1
CommitmentThe company commits to minimise and mitigate collective redundancies in the event of downsizing, interruption of operations, or automation/technological change, including through worker engagement.
Observation
A few companies show (limited) evidence of a formalised commitment, endorsed by senior management, to minimise and mitigate collective redundancies, including through worker engagement. No company shows evidence of having assigned senior management or board-level responsibilities and accountability for carrying out this commitment. Only one company shows (very limited) evidence of having allocated resources for implementing this commitment.
Related Leading Practices
- Managing temporary reductions in workforce
Managing temporary reductions in workforce
Evraz
Evraz actively engages with labour unions to include provisions in collective agreements for temporary periods of low level of activity that result in temporary reductions in staffing, with specific obligation for the company to develop a social adaptation programme for workers. Measures are aimed at maintaining existing jobs and supporting affected employees, by for example adjusting working schedules or allowing flexibility in tasks performed.
E.07 Worker Recourse
E.07.1
EffectivenessThe company tracks, reviews and acts to improve the effectiveness of its grievance mechanisms for workers.
Observation
About half of the companies publicly disclose some tracking data on the functioning and uptake of their worker grievance mechanisms, but only half of these companies provide details on the nature of these grievances. No company has publicly disclosed comprehensive tracking data that includes information on the actions taken in response to the grievances filed by workers. No company shows evidence of having recently reviewed or audited its worker grievance mechanism.
Related Leading Practices
- Disclosure of detailed data on worker grievances
Disclosure of detailed data on worker grievances
CODELCO
CODELCO discloses mine-site-disaggregated data on the grievances received from workers, on a quarterly basis via its online Ethics Point Portal. The same platform is used to report complaints of unethical or illegal activity. The types of complaints registered and disclosed relate to, for example, unsafe working conditions, corruption and conflict of interest, workplace harassment and discrimination, violence and sexual harassment. For each mine site, the company discloses the number of each type of complaint received and the outcomes of the investigations.