The mining industry, traditionally dominated by men, would greatly benefit from increased inclusion of women. Studies show that gender diversity in this sector leads to higher productivity and better financial results.
This is why the Mining Chamber organises its annual Women’s Day, which serves as an information platform for women to increase their interest and act as levers for financing, networking, skills transfer, innovation, investment, taxation, and experience sharing to break down barriers hindering the emergence of women in the mining sector, while promoting sustainable and impactful projects.
This year, Ivanhoe Mines and Kamoa Copper SA, major players in the mining industry in the DRC, actively participated in the 4th Edition of Women’s Day, themed ‘Women and Mining Entrepreneurship: Breaking Barriers, Building Futures,’ with the presence of Mrs. Marna Cloete and Mrs. Annebel Oosthuizen.
For Mrs. Bernadette Pundu, VP in charge of entrepreneurship at the Mining Chamber, ‘bringing personalities and decision-makers from the mining sector to address women shows them that it is possible to succeed, and that the industry is not closed to women. This is what the Mines Chambers has been working on in the past 4 years.’
This event, which brought together influential figures from the mining sector, entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, and civil society actors, was marked by several speeches, among which the most memorable were those of the President of Ivanhoe Mines, Ms Marna CLOETE, and the Managing Director of Kamoa Copper SA, Ms Annebel OOSTHUIZEN.
Mme CLOETE, développant le thème : « L’Empreinte d’Ivanhoé dans l’industrie minière en RDC », a exprimé son enthousiasme de voir autant de femmes réunies dans une salle avec pour centre d’intérêt le secteur des mines. Elle a ensuite présenté l’engagement stratégique d’Ivanhoé dans le pays au travers de plusieurs projets miniers. Evoquant ainsi la trajectoire exemplaire d’Ivanhoé, notamment à travers ses investissements majeurs dans des projets comme Kamoa-Kakula, classé parmi les plus importants gisements de cuivre au monde ; les efforts de l’entreprise en matière de développement durable, de responsabilité sociétale et d’inclusion des femmes dans les chaînes de valeur minières ; et le rôle d’Ivanhoé comme acteur de transformation économique, à travers le transfert de compétences locales, l’appui à l’entrepreneuriat féminin, et la création d’emplois directs et indirects pour les communautés riveraines. Elle a également partagé son parcours personnel en tant que femme dirigeante dans un secteur historiquement masculin, encourageant les participantes à oser prendre leur place dans l’industrie minière, à tous les niveaux.
On her part, Mrs. OOSTHUIZEN, addressing the theme ‘Opportunities offered by Kamoa to women,’ stated, ‘Initially, our focus on women’s participation in the mining sector was primarily on employees. Over the past three years, Kamoa has significantly increased the number of women working in the mine and operations, and we are still striving to achieve our target of a 10% ratio. Similarly, our spending with female-owned supplier companies has grown a hundredfold. As a company, we understand that supporting female entrepreneurs in the mining sector is crucial because this is where the multiplier effect lies to exponentially increase the number of women in the industry. One of the development levers is also having women in leadership positions; it is essential to have decisions that contribute to empowering women, and Marna is a great example of this. At Kamoa, we offer opportunities for women to engage in critical business areas essential to the mine. Female-owned companies are involved in construction, critical mining inputs, transportation, and more. However, the growth rate of female-owned companies is not yet sufficient to achieve the desired multiplier effect, which demonstrates the existence of real opportunities.’
The Women’s Day event organised by the Mining Chamber was a great success. It showcased inspiring stories of female leaders, entrepreneurs, and employees who are at the forefront of change and promote inclusivity in the sector.
Looking to the future, it is clear that empowering women in the mining sector is not just a goal but a necessity for sustainable growth and more innovation.”
