Finding better ways to provide the materials the world needs
Purpose & Values
The drive for innovation and continuous improvement is at the heart of our purpose
Business Strategy
Climate change is at the heart of our business strategy
Innovation
Finding better ways to do things is in our DNA
We supply the metals and minerals used to help the world grow and decarbonise
Iron Ore
Iron ore is the primary raw material used to make steel
7 things the world will need for a low-carbon future
Wind, sun and water – what else do you need to make renewable energy work?
Sustainability – the expectation, not the exception
Shaping our aluminium product offering to meet demand for greener metals
Bringing to market materials critical to urbanisation and the transition to a low-carbon economy
Look inside a mine of the future
Our most intelligent mine yet is pioneering new mining technologies
Rincon Project
A long-life, low-cost and low-carbon lithium source
Simandou Project
The world’s largest untapped high-grade iron ore deposit
Providing materials the world needs in a responsible way
Sustainability Reporting 2023
As temporary custodians of the land where we operate, we are entrusted with accessing the world’s essential materials and making them available for society’s use
Climate Change
We’re targeting net zero emissions by 2050
Tailings
We’ve launched a new interactive map of our tailings facilities
We aim to deliver superior returns to our shareholders while safeguarding the environment and meeting our obligations to wider society
Reports 2023
Download our 2023 Annual Report, Climate Change Report, Sustainability Fact Book and Taxes Paid Report
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Our podcast discussing what needs to happen to create a sustainable future for the everyday items we have come to rely on
A new way to decarbonise steel
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Tackling it all
A short documentary series with the Queensland Reds is inspiring working women everywhere
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Meet Eve Langelier – mechanical engineering professor, big into the outdoors, mother of two boys and huge science fan.
As the Université de Sherbrooke’s Chair for Women in Science and Engineering (CWSE), in Quebec, Canada, she has dedicated the past five years to finding ways to encourage more young women into these fields.
We sat down with Eve to talk about how the world can get more women involved in science, from the classroom to the boardroom.
Look, I had no clue what I wanted to do. When I was very young, I always saw myself in a house with a family and a dog, and going to university. I don’t know why.
I really enjoyed school, so for me studying was not a worry. I liked science and art. I was leaning towards a career in science and then my mum introduced me to a distant cousin whose job was to illustrate anatomy books. I thought that sounded great… but then I met a career adviser who said ‘you know, there aren’t a lot of jobs in that area’.
My father flew planes as a hobby, and so I used to spend a lot of time with him around the airport. I decided that I wanted to draw planes – design them. And so I went on to study mechanical engineering at university. While I was studying, I met an engineering professor who encouraged me to continue my studies. And now I am a professor researching ways we can better prevent and heal injuries. I love what I do!
Well, there are a lot of great career opportunities in science and engineering, but many women don’t consider them an option. That’s because we face many barriers from a very young age – from the way we are socialised, to how we interact at school and what we are taught. We need to remove the barriers so we can choose – really choose.
Also, engineering is about building the world of tomorrow. Women make up half of the world’s population, so if we don’t have women building the world of tomorrow, it won’t be built as we all perceive it, as we want it. We have to include the concerns and priorities of women.
And when we have different points of view, that often increases innovation and lowers the risk of group think. We know there is a link between diversity, innovation and company performance.
We have committed C$250,000 over five years to support the work of the Université de Sherbrooke’s Chair for Women in Science and Engineering
We need to work with girls’ circle of influence, like parents and teachers. One of CWSE’s priorities is to improve how technology is taught to girls at school. So we provide teaching tools, and go into classes and show students women role models. We try and change not just the students’ perceptions about technology, but the teachers’ too.
Research tells us that you have to show girls the purpose and impact of the work. If you tell them it’s just to get a certain grade, that doesn’t interest them. But if you tell them that through their work they can solve a problem, that resonates with them.
We also know that women care about caring, but we often don’t see that side, with all the opportunities there are to improve people’s lives with science and engineering. And we need to do a better job of bringing out the more human side of engineering too – there is a lot of creativity, leadership and team work involved in the day to day of being an engineer.
The first thing is to accept that you need to change. We need powerful leaders who believe in diversity and its benefits.
And then we have to change the way we do things. Like the way we recruit – how we interview and select candidates. We have to question our unconscious bias but we also have to rethink how we define excellence and performance. For example, you could be excellent at your job – but because you have a family and you cannot work 70 hours a week, people may question your ability to excel. And yet you could really bring something to the company.
We have to adapt to today’s realities. We need to rethink how we arrange work so that it is more welcoming for women. It’s also about making sure that women feel comfortable in their roles, that they are included and can progress. Sometimes we forget that part. If we do that and women are happy, they will talk to their friends and family – and it will help encourage more women into science and engineering.
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As some data privacy laws regulate IP addresses and other information collected through the use of cookies as personal data, Rio Tinto’s processing of such personal data needs to comply with its Data Privacy Standard (see Part 1 of our Privacy Policy), and also applicable data privacy laws.
With the exception of the use of cookies (explained below), Rio Tinto generally does not seek to collect personal data through this website. However if you choose to provide personal data to Rio Tinto through this website (for example, by sending us an email), we will process that personal data to answer your query and if relevant, to manage our business relationship with you or your company. We won't process that personal data for other purposes except where required to meet our legal obligations or otherwise as authorised by law and notified to you.
Part 1 of this Privacy Policy contains the Rio Tinto Data Privacy Standard, which provides an overview of Rio Tinto’s approach to personal data processing. There is additional information in the appendices to the Data Privacy Standard, including information about disclosures, trans-border data transfers, the exercise of data subject rights and how to make complaints or obtain further information relating to Rio Tinto’s processing of your personal data.
If you choose to subscribe to our media releases or other communications, you can unsubscribe at any time (by following the instructions in the email or by contacting us at digital.comms@riotinto.com).
With your consent, our website uses cookies to distinguish you from other users of our website. This helps us to provide you with a good experience when you browse our website and also allows us to improve our site.
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As some data privacy laws regulate IP addresses and other information collected through the use of cookies as personal data, Rio Tinto’s processing of such personal data needs to comply with its Data Privacy Standard (see Part 1 of this Privacy Policy), and also applicable data privacy laws.
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