- Also a member of Women in Mining, the disability activist set out the challenges faced by the industry, in terms of organisational culture.
- A leading expert on inclusion issues, she also indicated the contribution that EXPONOR can make in this area.
“Diversity finally creates value, and if the leaders don’t acknowledge the importance of those of us who are different from the norm, we will never be able to be a mirror of society, this will never be a diverse company, with a diversity of opinions. Me being able to disagree with you adds value. Because before one was used to having to agree on everything, say yes to everything",this is part of the insight and approach of Carolina García, who studied industrial civil engineering and is the founder of Comunidad Inclusiva, on the paradigm shift that companies must address to achieve sustainability.
In this regard, the professional, who has specialised in diversity, equity and inclusion, added that "when someone makes you question yourself, you can find improvements, opportunities, with respect to what was there before, the "yes men" who didn’t even question what you were showing them are the great Achilles heel of leaders, who must also work on their unconscious biases, for us to be a more sustainable industry"..
Women in industry
Carolina García is categorical regarding her vision of the female gender in the industry. "Yes, there are women who are qualified, there are women who have great talent. And the other thing I want to say, let's also look for the right women, we have skills, we have talent, we have training".
The professional also added that "in order to address the challenges we have regarding inclusion in the workplace for women in mining, I’m very aware that the leaders have to be convinced that we women contribute value. And for that, we need to prepare a strategy that is consistent with that. Because it’s not that I’d like there to be women, instead, it’s, i’m going to have women, because they add value. We see that the percentage in the industry, now that we’re in March 2025, is 21% of female representation in large-scale mining, we see that there are some large-scale mining companies that have also advanced steadily because their leaders are convinced, they are aligned, there’s a strategy, and now in March 2025 they are at 45% female representation".
For García, the key is also in education, making room for the presence of female leading experts. "Taking them to universities, we, mining companies need to go more to universities, talk to the women who are graduating, talk about opportunities at the schools, so women are encouraged to study a degree that’s related to technology, IT, math, science. Because that's where we see the big gaps".
Added value
Carolina knows very well about inclusion and added value, not only in theory, but also in practice. "I was one of the first four BHP hires of people with disabilities. And the truth is that the culture had not been modified; the leaders had not been trained, employees hadn’t been educated on what disability is. Within the company we have been learning through the implementation of the law, which started in 2019".
“Today we have universal accessibility at Minera Escondida and Spence, with universal rooms, as they're called, which have adapted bathrooms, we have special foods for people who have a visceral disability, which means a food allergy, and what I most notice is that we reconditioned all the worksites to receive people with disabilities. But also, the most important thing is the cultural change, which requires the leaders to change their viewpoint, change their perspective, their own unconscious biases. I myself had them as a civil engineer and having worked in mining, I would never have thought that I would return to mining"she said.
EXPONOR
In this context, the professional pointed out that EXPONOR, as a key industry exhibition nationally and internationally, also plays a key role in issues of inclusion and diversity.
“The exhibition should have a section or activity or an area dedicated to the inclusion of underrepresented groups. We see that the issue of gender is a great issue, because the industry has realized that we women have value, there’s a reason why when women enter a company, when they’re involved in decision-making, there are fewer accidents, there’s also a greater sense of belonging, production levels increase, as does compliance with maintenance plans, and innovation can also be promoted. But that's not just gender”..
On two occasions, Carolina, in collaboration with EXPONOR, RedEG, and Talento Mujer program, has taken part in seminars focused on addressing diversity and inclusion. We emphasize the significance of these initiatives and are committed to continuing their implementation.
Carolina García is today a living expert on inclusion and diversity in the industry, considering that her physical disability has not been a reason to put herself on the sidelines. On the contrary, the professional is a key activist and sets an example regarding making an effort, overcoming obstacles, and perseverance, in an area that increasingly aims at sustainability.
