Who we are
Employment
Rio Tinto employs on the basis of job requirements and does not discriminate on grounds of age, ethnic or social origin, gender, sexual orientation, politics or religion. Exceptions are made to favour local employment where local laws provide. We do not employ forced, bonded or child labour.
Employee numbers are continuing to increase as expansion of our operations takes place. In 2007, Rio Tinto directly employed about an average of 39,000 people. Many of these are recruited from the local areas in which we operate, but an increasing number of employees are sourced internationally. In addition, Alcan employed an average of 67,000 people in 2007, including the Engineered Products and Packaging divisions.
We employ graduates from many disciplines including engineering, anthropology, human resources, health, safety and environment. For the fifth year in a row, there has been a significant increase in the number of graduates that we are recruiting globally, 265 in 2007, compared with 203 in 2006. We have not yet included gender diversity information from former Alcan operations. We are ensuring our systems provide appropriate opportunities for women graduates. Thirty per cent of the 2007 graduate intake were women, a 50 per cent increase from our 2004 baseline.
Although we have reached the goal for increasing the number of women at graduate levels, we would like to make better progress towards the goal for gender diversity at senior levels. Women represent 22 per cent of identified "future leaders", a two per cent increase from 2006, and seven per cent of Rio Tinto's senior management, a one per cent increase from 2006. A review of our diversity goals and the development of new initiatives to improve the representation of women at all levels, including senior management roles, is planned for 2008.
In world class mines and processing facilities such as those we operate, the workforce is becoming increasingly skilled, requiring a high level of training and capability. More than 1,000 people attended regional and global leadership and functional development programmes in 2007 and 280 graduates attended the Rio Tinto Graduate Development Programme. Our business units and Group functions deliver over 7,000 role specific and relevant training courses annually across all technical and functional areas and among all levels of the organisation. We are increasing our use of simulator based and technology driven experiential learning and have also developed our own approach to coaching.
We recognise that attracting, developing and retaining a skilled workforce is critical to business performance. We believe that our approach is one of the most competitive in the industry and is based on:
- engaging with employees about the business, valuing each individual's contribution, and working with people to achieve ongoing change and improvement;
- conducting performance reviews, development planning, coaching and feedback processes;
- managing talent so that managers review employees career aspirations and potential;
- offering opportunities for career development and progression, including options for working across a range of businesses both locally and internationally; and
- introducing flexible working arrangements in many parts of our business.
Rio Tinto's total rewards strategy is designed to attract, retain and motivate the skilled workforce essential to the success of our business. Base pay is reviewed regularly and adjusted as necessary taking into account the individual's role, local market trends and, for many employees, business and personal performance. This process allows us to ensure that employees are paid competitively against the external market and consistently with their internal peers. In addition we also offer allowances, bonuses, share plans and healthcare benefits appropriate to the local markets.
We not only comply with employment legislation in the countries in which we operate, but look to apply a best practice approach to remuneration. We aim to ensure that our remuneration systems are transparent and equitable. Equally qualified and experienced employees doing the same work to the same standards of performance will receive comparable remuneration and employment conditions regardless of gender, age, ethnic or social origin, sexual orientation, politics or religion; unless required by local laws. We spent US$3,346 million (excluding Alcan) on wages and employee benefits in 2007, which represents about 11 per cent of our total economic contributions.
The Group also has retirement benefits in place for many employees. It participates in state arrangements where offered and appropriate, and supplements these with company arrangements in the main jurisdictions in which we operate. The main plans are independently audited and we use independent advisers and actuaries to ensure that the plans are sustainable and adequately funded.
Rio Tinto expects managers to abide by the highest standards of behaviour. Employees are expected to treat each other and external contacts with dignity, fairness and respect. Harassment in the workplace is guarded against and neither abuse nor misuse of position or facilities for any purpose is tolerated. Obligations to colleagues and the Group are respected, while collaboration is encouraged within and across businesses, cultures and countries. The Speak-OUT programme provides employees with an independent and confidential means of reporting concerns to senior managers.
