Australian Mining Sexual Harassment Code

Australia's leading mining authority on Wednesday drafted a code for its members to eradicate sexual harassment after several incidents in Western Australia brought the issue back to attention.


The Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) has laid out a framework for its more than 80 member miners and service providers to reaffirm their commitment to adopt a code to eradicate sexual harassment.

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The new standards came after Western Australian mining executives held an unprecedented press conference last month to apologize to those sexually assaulted or harassed in the state's mines, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported.

The Code includes preventive measures that companies must agree to take, such as awareness raising and education, and work environment and leadership; and response measures, including measures to support and protect people who report, investigations and consequences.

“Sexual harassment has a profound physical, emotional and psychological impact on those affected. This is unacceptable, against the law and should be removed from our industry culture and workplaces, ”the MCA said in a statement.

"The Industry Code sets clear expectations for companies to develop a culture of respect that empowers people to express concerns in a supportive and protected manner."

In a 2020 report by the Australian Human Rights Commission, a sexual harassment investigation found that 74% of women in the mining industry have experienced some form of sexual harassment in the past five years, in part due to the high gender imbalance in the sector.

Two cases of alleged sexual assault by BHP Group employees went public last month.