Pioneering progress on diversity and inclusion
Kellie ParkerManaging Director, Planning Integration and Assets, Rio Tinto Iron Ore.
The APPEA Journal 58(3) - https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ17253
Published: 30 May 2018
Abstract
In 2017, the Rio Tinto Executive Committee set out a five-year vision for Inclusion and Diversity. As part of this vision, the company’s leaders are now accountable for inclusion and diversity across the business.
Kellie Parker has been a member of the Rio Tinto Iron Ore executive team since 2014. In this role, she has seen first-hand the difference leaders can make by championing diversity and inclusion across their teams.
Kellie will outline Rio Tinto’s approach, which is to employ a workforce that is broadly reflective of the community in which it operates, and to build a culture that is both inclusive and diverse.
By the company’s own admission, women remain underrepresented in mining. Rio Tinto for example, employs over 19000 people in Australia, yet only 16% are women.
There is certainly a long way to go, but leaders at Rio Tinto have become active advocates for diversity. Top executives are responsible for objectives, goals, role modelling inclusive behaviours and reviewing progress.
Strong leadership from the top has delivered a shared understanding that diverse workplaces are safer, more productive and make better decisions.
Kellie will share her experience of the mining sector and will tell her stories of how small changes can make the biggest difference.
Kellie Parker has been part of Rio Tinto Iron Ore Executive team since 2014 and was appointed Managing Director, Planning Integration and Assets in January 2016. Kellie has accountability for all new future iron ore developments in the Pilbara, sustaining capital, materials management and technical services which are all critical to the sustainable operation of the business. She has direct impact on the ability of every other part of the operation to deliver against their objectives. Kellie ensures delivery of the value propositions for the Operations Centre of realising the benefits of operational excellence and better, smarter, faster decision making, through whole of system visibility, improved access to information and collaboration. Prior to her current role, Kellie was General Manager of the Operations Centre. Kellie joined Rio Tinto 2001 and has held a number of safety, operational and leadership roles across Iron Ore. Kellie holds a Bachelor of Science and a Health and Safety Diploma from Curtin University Western Australia and is a board member for the Rio Tinto Community Investment Fund. |
