Carleton researchers found women face barriers in industrial fields like mining due to family responsibilities and lack of formal policies to help women in these situations, according to a report they released Nov. 20.
Clare Beckton, director of Carleton’s Centre for Women in Politics and Public Leadership and researcher Umut Riza wrote the report, titled “Creating Gender Inclusive Leadership in Mining and Resources.”
The report outlines the under-representation, currently at about 18 per cent, of women in industrial employment opportunities.
In order to be more inclusive, the report recommends placing women into leadership positions, developing programs to attract aboriginal women to the mining industry, raising public awareness, and policy change within mining companies to support family responsibilities.
Beckton said this report was important because diversity and gender are vital to creating inclusive workplaces.
“[Bringing] a multiplicity of perspectives to the table enriches the work of organizations and society as a whole,” Beckton said.
Beckton said research for the report took nearly a year.
“We did a literature review, 24 interviews in three mining companies, and eight focus groups of approximately eight to 10 men and women,” Beckton said.
“We also held a critical conversation which brought together senior leaders in the mining industry, government, unions, academics, aboriginal groups and some non-profits such as Engineers Without Borders and the Women’s Executive Network.”
Beckton has also been named on the Women of Influence list of Canadian Diversity Champions, which includes close to 300 individuals recognized for their efforts toward diversity in Canada for similar work she has done.
