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The steel industry, which spans steel production, distribution, manufacturing, fabrication and engineering design, remains a male dominated sector of the economy. There has been some encouraging progress made towards addressing this imbalance, particularly in professional and middle management roles. In the main however, the proportion of female participation is quite low relative to the composition of the overall working age population with suitable ability. In addition to this trend, there tends to be limited career opportunities for older workers in the steel industry.
The consequence of this situation is that the steel industry is only accessing part of the available staff talent pool, which impacts negatively on long term competitiveness, worker availability, and sustainability. There is also a large body of academic and applied research evidence that clearly demonstrates significantly higher creativity, innovation and productivity being directed attributable to diverse and inclusive workplaces
Building a workplace that mirrors the diverse communities we live in is important. Creating a safe and supportive workplace can ensure that everyone can confidently bring their skills, values, backgrounds, and experiences to work.
The role of the ASI Diversity and Inclusiveness Committee is to promote understanding, acceptance, and celebration of diversity while fostering an environment where all individuals, regardless of gender, age, nationality, or ability, feel valued and empowered to contribute their fullest.
The ASI Diversity and Inclusiveness Committee consists of a diverse group of members representing various industry subsectors, all sharing a keen interest in fostering workforce diversity and inclusion. Each committee member brings unique insights and experiences to the table, collectively contributing to the identification of broadly applicable approaches and strategies.
Some of the high-level objectives of the Committee are to:
"Diversity" refers to the recognition and appreciation of the differences among individuals and groups within a community or organisation.
These differences can encompass various aspects, including but not limited to:
The Diversity and Inclusivity group aims to promote the understanding, acceptance, and celebration of these differences, while also working to eliminate biases, stereotypes, and discrimination.
The group is committed to creating an inclusive and equitable environment where all individuals, regardless of their diverse characteristics and backgrounds, feel valued, respected, and empowered to contribute to the fullest extent.
For further information, please contact David Varcoe at davidv@steel.org.au