BHP
Inclusion by design

In 2016 BHP set an aspirational goal of achieving gender balance globally by 2025. To achieve this, we actively redesigned the nature of the tasks and the qualifications required in specific jobs.

At BHP’s Mooka Ore Car Repair Shop in Western Australia, the Mooka team redesigned their processes to reduce the need for specialist technical roles in the maintenance of ore cars. This involved the introduction of automated guided vehicles and a robotic gantry system which avoids the need for rigging licences, and the mechanisation of tasks that formerly required heavy lifting means physical force is no longer required to perform tasks safely. Separating tasks that required a trade-qualified operator from those that don’t has enabled participation from a much wider talent pool.

Once these changes were implemented, we were able to adapt our recruitment and assessment processes and reach out to a broader range of candidates.

In one year the team at Mooka has gone from 5% women to 30%; in tandem with other activities to create an inclusive workforce, this initiative is truly transforming the culture of the business and the talent available for the future. BHP continues to look at redesigning roles to eliminate gender bias, which is a critical component of diversity and inclusion policies.

“The biggest thing innovation has done is to create a work environment where anyone can complete the task. It doesn’t matter how much you weigh, how big you are or what gender you are.”
Adam Johnson, Supervisor Ore Car Maintenance