Some other key interventions in Exxaro’s 100-day challenge include:

• The Ibandla events helped break the silence of male employees, reminding us that perpetrators of GBV can also be female.
• Many supporting activities took place, including self-defence classes, Leeuwpan’s awareness workshops within Exxaro and with the surrounding communities. Belfast Mine even extended their campaign to schools, recognising that the youth are an important investment in a more equitable future.
• One of the most inspiring outcomes of the campaign was that Exxaro employees started defining what they see as sexual harassment indicators.

The lively panel discussion was a highlight and brought a diverse range of Exxaro views and voices together to unpack the challenges and opportunities that gender equity poses on the road to sustainability. The panel was chaired by Nene Molefe, an international leader in Diversity,
Equity and Inclusion and author of “Journey of Diversity and Inclusion in South Africa”.

Some key insights shared include:

Tsheko Ratsheko
(Group Manager: Sustainability at the conneXXion) spoke to the many ways Exxaro is creating more inclusive communities through, for example, the Mineral Succession Programme, which is run by women in Exxaro who are engaging the communities in innovative ways to see how Exxaro can impact the communities we do business with.

Valerie Huma
(Manager of Projects at Grootegeluk) spoke candidly about the perceptions, assumptions and even micro aggressions she faced when first starting out. The real issue for her was how much energy it takes to manage these. Her advice? “See me first as a professional, before I am a female. Focusing on me as a female only dilutes my effectiveness as a professional.”

As a young PIT, Basetsana Malekele spoke to the importance of helping young professionals to understand and access the many networks available to them. She called on Exxaro’s women to speak up whenever micro aggressions show up: “As women we need to understand the power we have and speak up or we are never going to change the status quo.”

Alex De Angelis
(Executive Head: Strategy & Business Transformation at the conneXXion) spoke to the issue of white men feeling disempowered, saying: “I don’t think white men should see gender equity as a threat for ourselves but rather as opportunity to create more opportunity for others.”