Metal and mining sees women gain leadership roles

Reports and data suggest that, working women leadership roles in the male-dominated metal and mining industry are slowly increasing.

According to a data analysis by S&P Global Commodity Insights, women are increasingly holding leadership positions in the historically male-dominated metals and mining sector.

With more than 2,000 publicly traded mining businesses worldwide, women hold around 12.1% of the C-suite roles, up 1.6% points as stated in data from October, 2021. Additionally, women now hold 14% of all executive posts, an increase of 1.7% from 2021, and their representation on boards has climbed from 4.3% to 12.3% points.

Compared to the global average, women hold twice the more executive roles in the mining businesses within areas like the Middle East and Africa, at a solid 30.9%. In contrast, women have only held 11.2% of executive positions in Latin American and Caribbean businesses, the lowest percentage of the five geographic areas evaluated.

Women have had difficulty breaking into the male-dominated fields of mining and the metal industry. Executives and analysts have, however, seen a genuine effort for change, and many believe the slow advancements made over the previous 18 months, to be a sign of said advancement. According to Barbara Dischinger, director of the UK-based NGO International Women in Mining, said, diverse leadership is essential to addressing the industry's long-term issues, which include meeting the needs of an energy transition, adjusting to climate change, managing tailings dams, and more.