Exxaro is proud to announce that the black-empowered mining company is a sponsor of the 2021 Women in Mining Conference. The company will be sponsoring and participating in the conference, with an anti-gender-based violence (GBV) workshop hosted on the third day of the conference.

The Women in Mining event, taking place from 17 to 19 February, aims to empower women employed in the mining industry. The theme this year is, “Moving from the integration to the development of women in mining”. This is a cause that continues to be a priority for Exxaro as it strives to build a work culture that fosters diversity, inclusivity and development. Exxaro firmly believes that men and women are equal, and that no man or woman should face discrimination, abuse, or hardship based on how they identify in terms of their gender and expression.

“As a resource company committed to empowering all employees, regardless of gender, race, or background, we have created an organisational culture that celebrates and embraces diversity and inclusivity. Being one of the conference sponsors gives us the opportunity to empower women by creating solidarity and further understand the challenges that women in mining face,” said Vanisha Balgobind, Executive Head of Human Resources at Exxaro.

Yomeshka Moodley, Exxaro Strategy Integration Manager, and Dudu Dlamini, Exxaro Geologist, will be hosting the workshop, which is sure to be insightful, practical and impactful. The workshop will feature an analysis of GBV in the industry, an industrial theatre and a self defense memo.

Exxaro has been actively involved in numerous initiatives that focus on‌ ensuring equal representation in the workplace, celebrating women in mining and standing against GBV. To further illustrate the company’s dedication to gender diversity, Exxaro has also been included in the Bloomberg 2021 Gender-Equality Index (GEI).

“Participating in events like this allows us to continue on our journey in the spirit of employee empowerment and a call for action on our women agenda. In the same breath, we are able to showcase our initiatives and work with our peers to grow the industry and society as well,” she added.

“At the heart of our vision and values is a commitment to creating a fair and just workplace where everyone is treated equally, discrimination is not tolerated, and the barriers to equality are removed,” she concluded.