Major mining players such as Vale and Rio Tinto have signed a public statement supporting Abrdn’s engagement with them on cases of sexual harassment and assault in the industry. Abrdn has been engaging over the last two years with its mining holders on the issue of safer workplaces and said the industry should apply the same rigour of existing health and safety regimes to psychological safety and wellbeing. It said these actions are aligned with the International Council on Mining and Metals’ (ICMM) Mining Principles that place equal importance on psychological and physical health and safety. ICMM is also in support of Abrdn’s public statement, as is AngloGold Ashanti, Anglo American, BHP, Codelco, OZ Minerals and South 32. “Discrimination, harassment, and assault of any kind have no place in the mining industry or anywhere else in society,” said Rohitesh Dhawan, President & CEO at ICMM. “We recognise that the change starts with us and updating ICMM’s Mining Principles in 2022 was an important step. We welcome investor support for the actions we are taking and the work yet to be done to build psychologically safe and truly diverse, equitable and inclusive workplaces in the mining industry.”
