Independence Group Sustainability Report 2019

CEOS FOR GENDER EQUITY IGO is committed to supporting diversity and gender equity in the workplace, both within IGO and across the broader workforce. Although we have made significant progress within our business over the past few years, it is vital that we continue to find ways to support change in our industry and the Australian business community. IGO Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Peter Bradford is taking the lead in the pursuit of gender equity by putting his, and IGO’s, support behind ‘CEOs for Gender Equity’, an initiative that aims to grow awareness of the benefits of gender equity and its impact when addressed. The initiative sets an example for other chief executive officers and business leaders who want to bring change within their workforce. Along with continuing to be a vocal supporter and promoter of IGO programs designed to improve gender equity, Peter has, and will continue to, make public statements to explain to others why he is throwing his support behind the initiative and what he is doing to drive real and lasting change. Peter says, “I am a seventh-generation Western Australian, white, Anglo-Saxon male metallurgist, who has worked in the mining industry for about 40 years. Given my background, it would seem unlikely that I would be a champion of diversity. But that is exactly why it is crucial that I stand up for something I firmly believe in, and why more people, like me, need to add our voice to the discussion about diversity, inclusion and gender equity in this country. I am proud of the progress we have made at IGO to attract women to work with us and to stay in the business. Twenty five percent of our entire workforce are female and of these 33 per cent of our senior executive are females. This is significantly higher than the industry average but still a long way from reflecting a fair and equitable gender balance in the sector. At IGO, we have multiple programs in place to actively support improvements to the industry’s gender ratio by unlocking innovative ways to attract, retain and promote increased female representation in mining and within our business. This includes providing flexible working arrangements, a progressive paid parental leave package, and graduate, vacation and scholarship programs to foster the development of the next generation of diverse leaders within our mining sector. Even though, without any doubt, it is the right thing to do, it doesn’t make business sense not to do it. Diversity of not only gender but also age, background, skills, experience and perspective, provide a platform for a more thorough understanding of the issues facing our industry today and the ability to be better equipped to remain innovative, nimble and effective at problem solving. Diversity has also been proven to improve business performance. This is good business practice and in our fast-paced world the more robust our business thinking can be, the more equipped we are to sustain the ups and the downs of the cycle. We will achieve success when we no longer need to have this discussion and when the common understanding is that it is the right and logical thing to do. I believe we can make a difference. And that is why I add my voice to CEOs for Gender Equity who are not only calling for, but actively creating, this change for the better”. IGO SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2019 — 33