The mining sector is one of Peru’s economic drivers, with a projected contribution of 9.5% of GDP this year. In the last decade, we’ve seen little growth in the number of women in this sector. According to WIM Peru, the labour participation of women in Peruvian mining remained around 6% between 2010 and 2019.
However, we can’t deny women are transforming industries. A 2023 report from MacKinsey reveals that companies with higher representation of women on executive teams are 39% more likely to achieve better financial results.
In honour of the International Day of Women in Mining, Ausenco – a leading company in comprehensive mining services – reaffirms its commitment to gender inclusion and equity in the mining sector. In response to the low number of women in the industry, Ausenco has launched various initiatives and programs to promote, retain and encourage talent women across its organization and the industry.
"The Women@Ausenco Employee Resource Group provides global and regional support to women through networking, training, educational resources, and mentoring opportunities," said Milagros Sarmiento, Regional Assurance Manager at Ausenco.
Initiatives and policies
Ausenco promotes initiatives like internal networking events to facilitate connections between women from different offices and regions. As well as leadership and strategy panels, which are sessions with senior executives to increase the visibility of women and deepen their knowledge of the business.
Another important initiative is training and lectures. Ausenco hosts workshops and webinars for women to provide support and guidance for their professional success.
“The mentoring program by Women@Ausenco has been instrumental in strengthening the profile of women and developing their self-confidence. This 5-month global program brings internal and external mentors and is open to women across the organization," Sarmiento noted.
Ausenco is an environment free of discrimination and harassment, and it starts with recruiting. Their policies ensure an impartial selection process, guaranteeing they hire the best talent regardless of gender, race and background. They also implemented a global parental leave policy and an annual gender pay equity review to ensure equitable pay across the company.
This year Ausenco will launch the HexShe campaign in South America to encourage and inspire men to take action and collaborate in creating a more equitable environment.
Uplifting women
The initiatives Ausenco has implemented have increased the overall percentage of women in the company in Peru by 9% in the last three years.
Visibility is key and at Ausenco you see women in senior positions like CFO, vice presidents and recognized technical positions in the region. This reflects the inclusive environment at Ausenco where women are inspired, supported and encouraged to grow in their careers.
"To promote greater inclusion and gender equity in mining, we believe that organizations must provide inclusive training to combat prejudice and bias,” concluded Sarmiento.