Mineral and resource companies should demonstrate an increase in female employees by the end of 12 months, said the CEO of the industry’s trade association.
Positions which need to be occupied by women range from new recruits to board directors and chief executives as well as public speakers.
Chief executive of the Mineral Products Association (MPA) Nigel Jackson added that, following International Women’s Day 2021, the industry would be wrong to return to ‘bias as usual’.
He called for “measurable progress” to be made by International Women’s Day 2022.
SEA CHANGE
“To achieve change we must embed the drivers of change into our management all year round.
“A world of oysters but in a big sea of competing needs for similar skills and talents. Not just the ‘brightest and best’ but the ‘right person’ with the right attitude and competencies.
“Valuing all skills at every level in the organisation.”
Mr Jackson added that there needed to be a cultural revolution underpinned by a more conscious and consistent push for women to occupy roles at all levels in all parts of the minerals sector.
“We are still mainly ‘male and pale’ although far from alone on the ‘heavy side’ of the economy.
“More female directors on boards in commercial and operational roles, more CEOs, more representation on industry bodies, more speakers and hosts at industry events, more profiles in our media, more young voices being heard, more champions being recognised.
“More potential leaders being supported to lead at all levels in more roles.
“Seizing the obvious opportunities that are in front of us.
“To make the cultural change we have to be honest and understand where we are today, celebrate the positive but also address the shortfalls positively and with vigour.”
“I for one will feel a lot more comfortable and prouder in a year’s time if we can show significant progress.”
MINERAL PRODUCTS ASSOCIATION
The MPA was formed in 2009 and is the industry trade association for the aggregates, asphalt, cement, concrete, dimension stone, lime, mortar and silica sand industries.
The association has a growing membership of 520 companies across its product groups, including most of the independent SME quarrying companies in the UK and the nine major international and global companies.
The MPA covers 100% of UK cement and lime production, 90% of GB aggregates production, 95% of asphalt and over 70% of ready-mixed concrete and precast concrete production.