ME Elecmetal: One of the Founding-Companies of Women in Action by APRIMIN

Gender diversity within the mining industry is a challenge that has been addressed from multiple perspectives. Currently, women represent up to 18% of the global mining workforce. In Chile, among the supplier companies associated with the Mining Suppliers Association, APRIMIN (Asociación de Proveedores Industriales de la Minería), female participation averages 12%.

In response to this issue, Talento Mujer and RedEG, organized the first women’s business conference with the sponsorship of Exponor 2024 in Chile. This event marked the launch of “Women in Action by APRIMIN,” an initiative that unites a group of influential female leaders with the goal of integrating more female talent into the mining ecosystem.

Key Objectives:

  1. Visibility and Awareness: Highlight the importance of increasing female participation in the industry. Promote the message that diversity encompasses not just gender, but also knowledge, expertise, and contributions. This initiative aims to demonstrate that diverse perspectives enhance innovation and industry growth.
  2. Promoting Female Participation: Collaborate at the association level to create more opportunities for women in mining. This includes implementing robust diversity and inclusion initiatives within organizations, which are capable of being evaluated for their impact over time.
  3. Commitment to Integration: Establish specific commitments and goals for increasing female talent within companies. This includes fostering environments that support and advance women’s careers in mining.
  4. Early Engagement in STEM: Encourage interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) from an early age. By promoting STEM education among girls in elementary and middle school, the initiative aims to influence their career decisions early, increasing the future female talent pool in the mining industry.

By championing these goals, ME Elecmetal and its partners are committed to driving meaningful change, ensuring that the mining industry benefits from a diverse and inclusive workforce.

This is an extremely important effort, because it has to do with society and its key role to incorporate women in different areas of life.”
— Aurora Williams, Minister of Mining.

 Women in Action has come to accompany and strengthen us at a pivotal moment as we fully implement our Corporate Sustainability Strategy. As a global company, we have prioritized designing a multiscale program for the incorporation and retention of more female talent across all the regions where we operate: South America, North America, China, APAC, and EMEA“.
— Constanza Echeverria, Global Sustainability Director.   

Women in Action (WIA) Strengthens ME Elecmetal’s Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Women in Action (WIA) specifically bolsters ME Elecmetal’s efforts in South America to implement its Sustainability Strategy, focusing on the People Pillar and its commitment to diversity and inclusion. This commitment aims to design and implement initiatives that promote and encourage the hiring of women across all business lines, both globally and regionally. The overarching goal is to ensure women’s presence at all organizational levels.

ME Elecmetal is dedicated to offering a more diverse supply chain to its global customers. As part of this commitment, Constanza Echeverría, Global Sustainability Director, and Mariangeles Canitrot, Technical Commercial Manager of Talleres Foundry, participate in roundtable discussions focused on the South American context, with the aim of expanding these experiences to other ME Elecmetal regions.

Currently, WIA unites 27 companies out of a total of 135 associates from various sectors, including construction, health, transportation, engineering, technology, and commerce. This initiative continues to grow, fostering a collaborative network committed to gender diversity.

The launch event took place on Wednesday, June 5, at Exponor 2024 in Antofagasta, Chile. The event was attended by the Minister of Mining, Aurora Williams, who highlighted the initiative’s potential to “open paths for girls and adolescents,” many of whom were present at the occasion.

Dominique Viera, president of APRIMIN, emphasized the importance of WIA, stating that it addresses existing gaps and underscores the ongoing need for improvement and action.

WIA convenes monthly and coordinates progress every fifteen days, working diligently on an action plan and a schedule of field activities to maximize collaboration among mining supplier companies.

By participating in WIA, ME Elecmetal reaffirms its dedication to creating an inclusive and diverse workforce, driving positive change within the mining industry and beyond.

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