A new report into the culture of mining company Rio Tinto has found an increase in the number of sexual assaults reported by employees.
It comes after a 2022 review of the company said there was a “strong appetite for cultural change” following reports of bullying, sexual harassment, and racism within the company.
The new progress report found “mixed results”, with concerning behaviours “persisting” in some areas.
Here’s what you need to know.
Rio Tinto
Rio Tinto is an Australian-British mining company. It employs more than 57,000 people across 35 countries.
The mining company originally commissioned a report into its workplace after employees increasingly voiced concerns about cultural issues and abuse.
The original report, and this latest progress report, were both conducted by Australia’s former Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick.
Initial report
The original report, published in 2022, found that bullying was “systemic” at Rio Tinto. Sexual harassment and everyday sexism were also occurring at “unacceptable rates”.
According to that report, 11.7% of Rio Tinto employees had experienced racism in the five years before 2022.
A total of 26 recommendations were outlined. To date, the company has implemented 17 of them and has introduced efforts to adopt the remaining nine.
2024 Review
This week, Rio Tinto released a ‘progress report’ on the issues outlined in the earlier review. According to the findings, the number of sexual assault reports increased this year.
32% of people also said they experienced pressure or requests for sex or sexual acts, and a majority of victims were women.
In the past year, 39% of surveyed employees said they experienced bullying.
Rates of sexual harassment and racism have remained unchanged since the last report. A “resistance to change” among employees was flagged as a potential reason for the continuation of the harmful behaviours.
The report noted that the company is only a few years into its “cultural transformation”.
However, the report’s author said Rio Tinto has established a “solid foundation” for sustainable change.
Response
Rio Tinto has apologised to employees who continue to face “unacceptable and harmful” behaviours highlighted in its latest progress review.
CEO Jakob Stausholm said he is “greatly troubled” by the continued issues, but also thanked employees who have come forward to share their experiences.
“Your honesty will guide our ongoing efforts to become an organisation where every day is safe, respectful, and productive for everyone,” Stausholm said.
