Employees at Richards Bay Minerals

Talent, diversity and inclusion

We are finding better ways™ to support and empower our people, which means creating an environment where everyone feels comfortable being themselves, has the courage to speak up if something is not right and listens to each other with care and curiosity.

We have launched a number of initiatives to build a culture of trust where our people feel safe, respected and empowered. They are supported to be the best they can be, to use their knowledge and experience to achieve our aspirations together.

We are committed to an inclusive environment where people feel comfortable to be themselves. We want our people to feel that all voices are heard, all cultures respected and that a variety of perspectives are not only welcome – they are essential to our success. We treat each other fairly and with dignity regardless of race, gender, nationality, ethnic origin, religion, age, sexual orientation or anything else that makes us different.

We also aim for a diverse workplace – not just because it is good for our business, but because it is the right thing to do. We are not where we want to be on gender diversity, and we have established targets to improve the number of women in our organisation, at all levels.

We are committed to Indigenous peoples having a stronger voice across our business. We are one of the largest employers of Indigenous Australians, with more than 1,500 Indigenous employees and contractors working across our Australian business, but we recognise that we have more work to do to increase representation in professional and leadership roles.

Employees safely walking next to HME at West Angelas Mine

Pay equity

Rio Tinto strives to create an inclusive workplace where all people feel safe, respected and included
Everyday Respect

Everyday Respect

We have a responsibility to create a safe, respectful and inclusive workplace

Our values

Our values – care, courage and curiosity – guide how we work and how we treat each other.

  • Teamwork at IOC

    Care: for people, for the communities in which we operate and for our environment

    We act with care by prioritising the physical and emotional safety and wellbeing of those around us. We respect others, build trusting relationships and consider the impact of our actions. We look for ways to contribute to a better future for our people, communities and the planet.
  • Employee smiling at camera

    Courage: to try new things, speak up and do what’s right

    We act with courage by showing integrity, speaking up when something is not right and taking decisive action when needed. We are not afraid to try new things. We respond positively in difficult situations and demonstrate commitment to achieving shared goals.
  • Employee inspecting machinery

    Curiosity: to collaborate, learn and innovate

    We act with curiosity by inviting diverse ideas and collaborating to achieve more together than can be done alone. We are continuously learning, creatively looking for better and safer ways of doing things. We draw inspiration from others and the world around us.

Creating career pathways for technical experts

IIn many organisations, career progression means taking on responsibility for leading teams. But through our RioExcel program, we offer our technical specialists an alternative career path – one where they can focus on building and sharing their expertise.

Brendan
More

RioExcel is open to all technical experts in our business, and guides career development planning, recognition, and a challenging and rewarding path to progress within our company. Experts can apply to join the program, and applications are assessed against 5 criteria: technical expertise, commercial and strategic outcomes, contribution to community knowledge, professional recognition as a thought leader, and living our values.

Brendan, our Head of Technical Excellence and leader of the RioExcel program, explains how the program supports career growth:

“With RioExcel, we’re looking for technical leadership and influencing skills. It’s not just about doing the work, but about bringing the organisation along on the journey and being able to pass on your knowledge to the next generation. There’s a structured process to how to assess the RioExperts, and it’s a rigorous process. Similar to the way science advances through a peer review process, the applications go to a senior assessment panel that reviews the information, benchmarks it to others in the organisation and then recognises them, if they’re successful, as a RioExpert.

“I remember having a conversation with someone, she was a young engineer, a world expert in her niche field. She was getting to the point where she couldn’t see much room for advancement. She’d done all she could do. When she was recognised as a RioExpert – almost the next day the phone started ringing because people knew what she had to offer. Suddenly she realised her horizons were much more vast. Getting to be part of that, and creating that opportunity, it’s been such a rewarding experience for me.

“It’s also been so fantastic to see when people come to the realisation of what collectively they can achieve as a community – because they’re multidisciplinary, they join forces and can solve really massive problems that had previously felt unsolvable – when I see the lights go on for people and they see what they can achieve together? It’s incredible.”

Featured stories

Mari

From hospitality to hauling

Since moving from Japan to the remote Pilbara region of Western Australia, Mari’s had a fascinating career trajectory – changing gears from hospitality to driving huge mining trucks and excavators.
Banner image

Walking together towards our true selves

Feeling comfortable to be your true self is a core part of feeling included, supported and productive at work
Two way mentoring banner

Shared connections create cultural understanding

Increasing Indigenous knowledge-sharing through 2-way Mentoring program

$50 million to attract, retain and support the development of Indigenous employees across Australia

We are:

  • Changing our hiring practices by focusing on an Indigenous candidate’s potential, not their mining experience
  • Introducing a cultural onboarding program to ensure leaders have the skills they need to support Indigenous employees
  • Pairing Indigenous employees with senior leaders and providing career coaching for employees while also developing leaders’ cultural competence
  • Supporting employees’ growth and development by identifying skill gaps and working with each employee to create a career plan, including further education
  • Growing cultural competency through cultural awareness training, and where possible, cultural immersion opportunities on Country or through working directly with Indigenous businesses and organisations

Related content

Nursery at Richards Bay Minerals

Sustainability reporting

As stewards of the lands where we operate, we have a responsibility to safely and sustainably access the world’s essential materials
Careers at Rio Tinto

Careers

Discover more about life at Rio Tinto
Our purpose and values

Our purpose in action

We’re finding better ways to provide materials the world needs, now and in the future.
Health, Safety and Wellbeing

Health, safety and wellbeing

At the heart of our sustainability strategy – and our business – are our people and their safety