Glencore Copper Argentina, through its El Pachón and MARA projects, has signed a cooperation agreement with Women in Mining Argentina (WIM), the international organization that promotes the advancement of women in the mining industry. The objective is to jointly work towards reducing the gender gap and fostering an inclusive, diverse, and equitable environment.
The mining company and WIM have established a joint working group as the first milestone in a collaborative journey, starting with "a pact signed with concrete commitments and actions that will allow us to achieve greater maturity in terms of culture, diversity, and inclusion," celebrates Macarena Madariaga, from the Regional Human Capital Talent Management team at Glencore.
Leveraging the standards of Glencore’s global IDEAL Program—focused on Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Advancement, and Local Development—the mining company aims to build an environment that facilitates diversity, equity, and equal growth opportunities in all its workplaces. The goal is to maximize individuals' potential through the management, attraction, and retention of diverse talent, while adhering to the local and provincial regulatory frameworks where both projects are located.
The purpose is to implement a program of best practices from WIM in both projects, El Pachón, located in San Juan, and MARA, located in Catamarca, in order to achieve "the exchange and joint development of initiatives with satisfactory results that benefit both the company and the industry as a whole, leaving a legacy that promotes diversity and inclusion across Argentine mining," as highlighted by Silvana Culjak, Human Resources leader at Glencore Pachón.
The IDEAL Program, combined with the expertise of WIM professionals in areas such as health, law, neuroscience, and quality management systems, will enhance a nationwide agenda for equity and inclusion.
Meanwhile, Gabriela Uriburu, from MARA’s Legal Department and member of the project's Gender, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee, emphasized the importance of "continuing the path initiated with WIM and outlining future work to further promote the construction of an inclusive, equitable, and supportive mining industry for all employees."
"Understanding how people behave to create a collaborative culture that values differences and recognizes each individual's unique characteristics, as well as implementing actions to promote access to opportunities, tools, and practices, are key focuses. Additionally, measures to remove barriers and enhance skills and spaces that drive the growth of women in mining are crucial. The aim is to create a suitable work environment, conceived and adapted to the local context in which it is implemented".
