More than 20 women working for Rio Tinto have reported actual or attempted rape or sexual assault in the last five years to a formal, independent review commissioned by the company.
The review, headed by former Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick (EB & Co), was tasked with reviewing company culture.
The move followed a parliamentary inquiry in Western Australia which revealed almost two dozen sexual assaults on mine sites had been investigated by police over a two-year period.
The Rio Tinto report found sexism and bullying were systemic across the company's worksites.
In a statement, Rio Tinto chief executive Jakob Stausholm said the findings were "deeply disturbing".
"I offer my heartfelt apology to every team member, past or present, who has suffered as a result of these behaviours," he said.
"I feel shame and enormous regret to have learned the extent to which bullying, sexual harassment and racism are happening at Rio Tinto.
The report said it did not investigate or make findings about any individual incident or allegation, or individual employees, but any employee who disclosed an experience of harmful behaviour and was seeking an investigation was "provided with appropriate referrals".
Everyday sexual assault, harassment and sexism
The report notes that while some women who spoke to the investigators reported a positive and inclusive culture, the majority said everyday sexism took a toll on their self-esteem, personal relationships and general health.
They reported colleagues and managers commenting on their appearance, expressing gendered assumptions about their competence, and that they were only there as a result of positive discrimination.
Some feared telling management if they were pregnant, obstacles to flexible workplace arrangements and of being denied access to female bathroom facilities.
They also reported being left out of decisions and overlooked for progression, of being asked to take notes, get coffee, or even do a colleague's washing.
Women were significantly more likely to experience sexual harassment, with 28 per cent reporting it compared to 7 per cent of males.
Women on FIFO and residential worksites experienced higher rates of sexual harassment.
Twenty-one women reported actual or attempted rape or sexual assault in the last five years.
Some women ate alone in their room to avoid harassment, avoided being out after dark and said there was poor lighting and security.
The report found Rio Tinto's workforce is approximately 79 per cent male despite recent attempts to increase diversity.
"Unique workplace features, such as the hierarchical, male-dominated culture, create risk factors," investigators were told.
Employees also reported harmful behaviour was often tolerated or normalised, including from "serial perpetrators".
Employees believed there was little accountability, particularly for senior leaders and so-called 'high performers' who are perceived to avoid significant consequences for harmful behaviour.
Half of the respondents report bullying
Almost half of the roughly 10,300 people who responded as part of the review process reported bullying.
According to the report, EB & Co heard sexual harassment and everyday sexism occurred at unacceptable rates and racism was common across a number of areas.
Compounding this, employees "do not believe that the organisation is psychologically safe which impacts on their trust in the reporting systems", and that "harmful behaviour occurs by and between employees, managers, and leaders, including senior leaders".
Employees spoke of "normalised" racism within the organisation, with survey data showing 11.7 per cent of employees experienced racism in the last five years.
Employees working in a country different to that of their birth experienced much higher rates of racism than their colleagues working in the country they were born in.
Among Australian employees, 39.8 per cent of men who identified as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander experienced racism in the last five years, compared with 12.4 per cent who did not identify with that culture.
One employee commented "Rio is a Caucasian-oriented company", the report said.
Rio Tinto committed to change
Rio Tinto has committed to enacting all 26 recommendations made by the report aimed at preventing discrimination and an unacceptable workplace culture going forward.
The recommendations focus on the following areas:
- A commitment from the company's leadership to create safe, respectful and inclusive working environments to prevent harmful behaviours and better support people in vulnerable situations. This includes increasing diversity within the company.
- Ensuring the company's camp and village facilities are safe and inclusive. This includes making sure the company is applying the same safety and risk processes that it uses to prevent harm in operations to create a safe environment for all employees and contractors.
- Making it as easy and as safe as possible for all people to call out unacceptable behaviours, highlight issues when they happen and receive support. This includes introducing early intervention options and improving how the company responds to formal complaints in the workplace.
Lead investigator Ms Broderick said the report should not be a reason for reduced confidence in Rio Tinto.
"By proactively commissioning this study, one of the largest of its kind within the resources industry, it demonstrates a very clear commitment to increased transparency, accountability and action," she said.
Ms Broderick said she had observed a "strong desire for transformational change" within the Rio Tinto leadership team.
WA minister Rita Saffioti said she was very disturbed by the number of allegations.
"You want everyone to be able to feel safe in their workplace," she said.
"Also in particular in those areas where you're a bit more isolated from friends and family and you want to have the utmost protection from having that type of behaviour.
"I think it's disturbing to understand maybe how widespread it has been and in particular in those environments."
Report 'confronting', says Rio executive
Rio Tinto chief executive of iron ore Simon Trott said the report was confronting and underlined the importance of the changes the organisation was seeking.
Mr Trott said the company had already implemented changes such as alcohol restrictions and better lighting on site.
But he said a wider cultural shift had to take place.
"The way that we'll get to where we aspire to is really making sure that this conversation is part of our everyday routines, that we're having a conversation around behaviours, holding each other to account," he said.
He also thanked those who had shared their difficult stories.
"We want people to come forward, we want to make sure that it's safe for people to come forward.
"I've been really heartened and really appreciate the people who have had the courage to step forward and have their voices heard."
