Women in Mining Study reveals higher female job satisfaction, but significant gender gap persists

7th version elaborated by Vantaz Group, RIM Chile, Spencer Stuart, Acción Empresas and Compromiso Minero

  • The survey consulted 572 professionals (men and women) in the industry regarding their views on the gaps that still exist in mining.
  • 72% of women perceive that men earn more than they do, in contrast to only 27% of men who share this opinion.

Friday, September 6, 2024. The 7th Women in Mining Study revealed that female job satisfaction rose from 62% in 2023 to 65% this 2024. However, the satisfaction gap between men and women remains high at 15%. These were some of the results of the study conducted by Vantaz Group, together with Spencer Stuart, Acción Empresas, Red Ingenieras de Minas (RIM) and Compromiso Minero.

Year after year, this survey allows us to know and compare the perceptions of both men and women on women's participation and development in mining, considering different dimensions: motivation, perception of gaps, leadership commitment, evaluation of the industry, job search, and this year the dimension of work on site was incorporated.

The analysis revealed that the intention to change jobs among women fell from 62% in 2023 to 55% in 2024, while among men, this desire increased from 41% in 2023 to 47% in this version.

These results were presented by Daniela Desormeaux, Research Director at Vantaz Group, and Pepe Barroilhet, Partner at Spencer Stuart, to various companies and personalities from the mining ecosystem. The results were then analyzed by Mary Carmen Llano, Vice President of Human Resources at Codelco; Carolina Cuevas, former Minister of Women's Affairs and Director of Acción Empresas; and Juan Cariamo, Partner and Co-CEO of Vantaz.

“The number of people who wish to leave mining is very low, which suggests that there is not a dislike of the industry, but rather a desire to find greater opportunities and better remuneration. Although a small percentage of women are considering leaving the sector, it is important to remember that, in general, men have more experience in this area, which makes it even more difficult for them to contemplate this possibility,” said Daniela Desormeaux.

Lower perception of inequalities

The survey showed that the perception of pay inequity continues to be a major challenge. 72% of women perceive that men earn more than they do, compared to only 27% of men who share this perception. However, this is an improvement, since in the previous version of the study this perception of pay inequity among women was 81%.

In this context, Mary Carmen Llano said that it is “fundamental that we have a real commitment, since it is not just a matter of complying with a quota, but of promoting true inclusion, which implies a cultural change. A key aspect is that this issue is being addressed by the top management of the industry; we are not talking about the isolated effort of a few people, but something strategic for companies.”

Regarding selection processes, 71% of men believe that these are fair and non-discriminatory. However, only 54% of women agree with this statement.

Despite advances in equality, there is still a significant perception that men have better access to leadership roles. In 2023, 70% of respondents believe this inequity exists, and in 2024, this number increases slightly to 71%.

High valuation of the industry and interest in working at the site

In this seventh edition, a new question was added about interest in working at a mine site. The survey showed that both men and women responded favorably, with 53% and 52%, respectively, saying that they would work in a mining operation.

“Both women and men show a similar predisposition to work in operations and share common reasons for both entering and leaving the industry. However, it is striking that there are significant differences in the perception of equity, especially in aspects such as remuneration, professional development and access to leadership roles,” said Carolina Cuevas.

The research also showed that both men and women highly value the contribution of mining to Chile's economic and social development, with 95% of both genders believing that the activity generates positive impacts on the country.

The survey was answered by 572 people. Of these, 49% of the women and 54% of the men work in a mining company, while 18% of the women and 15% of the men work in companies that supply the sector.

We invite you to download the Study

Related articles
Highlights

Women in Mining Study reveals higher female job satisfaction, but significant gender gap persists

Read more
Highlights

"Woman in Mining” 2024 study will monitor sector's progress in gender equity

Read more
Related

Optimistic expectations grow for Chilean mining industry in 2024

Read more