Celebrating industry champions

Women in Industry Awards recognise mining’s best

TWO OF THE MINING INDUSTRY’S BRIGHTEST STARS, SARAH WITHELL FROM WHITEHAVEN COAL AND RACHAEL ASHFIELD FROM IFM EFECTOR, HAVE BEEN RECOGNISED AT THE WOMEN IN INDUSTRY AWARDS, TAKING OUT THE EXCELLENCE IN MINING AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SUCCESS OF THE YEAR CATEGORIES RESPECTIVELY.

The Women in Industry northern Australia. Reporting to the Minerals Australia Awards aims to recognise From there, Withell launched a vice president for HSE, this put Withell at and celebrate women in career that has since spanned two two levels below BHP Minerals Australia traditionally male-dominated decades by expanding her knowledge president and three levels below BHP industries, such as mining, engineering, to work in health, safety, environment chief executive officer Mike Henry. transport and manufacturing. and community roles. During the past Additionally, Withell is a member

This year’s awards saw a 27 per 10 years, Withell has moved into senior of the New South Wales Minerals cent rise in nominations compared leadership teams for some of Australia’s Council’s environment and community with last year, as well as a record biggest coal operations. committee, bringing industry number of individuals, businesses and This includes being a member of professionals together to discuss organisations represented. the BHP Minerals Australia health and pertinent issues and opportunities at

The Women in Industry Awards safety environment (HSE) leadership local, regional and state levels. winner for Excellence in Mining this year team, providing guidance and support She is also part of the NSW Mineral is Whitehaven Coal executive general to more than 18,000 workers. In this Council’s HSE and community manager HSE, Sarah Withell. She started role, Withell partnered with senior conference steering committee, her mining career as a fly-in, fly-out leaders in the business to set the with her contributions in this space (FIFO) environmental scientist at a remote strategic direction and performance of resulting in program improvements for operation in the Gulf of Carpentaria in two of BHP’s biggest coal assets. the organisation.

Whitehaven Coal executive general manager HSE, Sarah Withell.

Withell was the first female head of health safety and environment within BHP’s New South Wales business and the first female member of the New South Wales energy coal asset leadership team, which helped her to identify issues particularly relevant for women in the industry.

She also started a family prior to parental leave policies being fully developed in the mining industry, so she took it upon herself to forge this new ground, allowing all women to benefit from this as well.

After experiencing the difficulties of returning to work while breastfeeding, Withell was instrumental in introducing a dedicated parent’s room at the Mt Arthur coal mine in New South Wales.

This allowed her and other parents to return to work while breastfeeding and have a safe, relaxing, private and hygienic space to do so.

Recognised for her leadership qualities and passion for supporting women and future female leaders, Withell has spent the past four years being involved in the WIMnet New South Wales mentoring program and actively mentored within BHP.

Withell has replicated her work to diversify mine sites within her own team, where she has achieved more than 40 per cent female representation, 30 per cent female leaders and 8 per cent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representation across her staff.

As well as striving to hire a diverse workforce, Withell holds regular development discussions with her team members to continue work to remove barriers for female workers, promoting flexible work to all team members, both males and females, showing that this indirectly supports work for other females.

With this impressive resume, Withell is a worthy winner of the Women in Industry Awards title for Excellence in Mining.

The many courses to success After sticking with the same company for almost 20 years, ifm efector marketing manager Rachael Ashfield knows a thing or two about how to grow the business.

As the recipient of the Business Development Success of the Year award at the 2020 Women In Industry Awards, Ashfield has been commended for a number of innovative campaigns that have grown ifm in the food/beverage manufacturing and mining sectors.

Ashfield’s role sees her develop a number of marketing and communications campaigns to expand its customer base for ifm sensor technology and equipment. ifm’s products are applicable to a number of industries and fully embrace the advantages of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) 4.0 technology through its sensors and automated technology.

Ashfield’s longstanding career with ifm has resulted in developing a deep understanding towards automation technology – starting in administration and working her way up to the company’s marketing manager.

Her colourful role has helped strengthen ifm’s national and international presence. Ashfield has developed relationships with publishers, trade event companies and cartage contractors, which previously she had no relationships with.

She has also familiarised herself with a number of industries that were foreign to her prior to starting her career at ifm.

Harbouring this knowledge, Ashfield has identified that a stronger presence in sector-targeted advertising and marketing was needed.

Growth areas for ifm that Ashfield identified included the mining sector and food/beverage manufacturing.

In the past year, Ashfield has launched two campaigns that have enhanced ifm’s visibility in the Australian market, along with being utilised by ifm’s global marketing out of Germany.

One of the two campaigns was directed at mining, where Ashfield helped develop an animated marketing campaign that focusses on the safety aspects of ifm’s solutions for the mining industry.

In 2019, Ashfield launched the “Still Working” campaign, with part two released this year. It is designed to show that ifm’s sensors can withstand extreme situations and conditions to highlight the robustness of the products.

The “Still Working” campaign’s innovative approached followed a “mythbusters’ video format and featured

ifm efector marketing manager, Rachael Ashfield.

ifm employees well known in industry circles, and showed the equipment was still working at the end of the harsh condition testing.

The videos are designed to be fun and unique to ifm – demonstrating the company’s business model as a likeable, playful yet reliable and solid “out-of-thebox” business.

Ashfield also worked alongside a web development team – stillworking. com.au – to complement the videos and to emphasise the messaging behind the campaign.

The campaign has received praise from ifm’s Asia marketing them, followed by the company’s top Germany team, who have since instructed each country to replicated it for their own markets.

Ashfield’s innovation behind this campaign has allowed her to achieve global-ifm status due to her ability to look outside of the box using a multifaceted approach to expanding the company’s market presence.

Being the front-runners of the Women in Industry Awards does not only affect the winners themselves, or even their company and industry, but also those who have the privilege of recognising their achievements.

Christine Gibbs-Stewart, a 2020 judge and recipient of an award in 2016, is humbled to be in their company.

“As a judge, it was great to read each applicant’s inspirational story. Each is unique and should be told, and these awards are a great way to do that,” the Austmine chief executive says.

“We have been a supporter of the WII Awards for many years as it is great to recognise the achievements of some amazing women.”

The 2020 winners and nominees are regarded as “strong and influential women”, who have led positive change across Australia.

“Hearing their stories is not only inspiring but shows the steps the industry is making to reach gender equality,” judge and Tradeswomen Australia head of operations Angela Gaylard says.

Another judge and National Committee for Women in Engineering 2020 chair Hayley Rohrlach says that the quality of nominees she reviewed were certainly impressive. She had a hard time splitting a number of the nominees and felt it unfair to not be able to give a full mark to each of them.

This goes to show the number of high performing female engineers throughout all stages of careers.

Rohrlach isn’t the only one who says it was challenging to be a judge for the 2020 awards. National Association of Women in Operations board member Melissa Donald also had a challenging time judging due to the impressive calibre of nominees.

They includes mentors who are committed to developing women in the sector, industry advocates who have positively shaped the portrayal of the sector and social leaders who have influenced change across the broader community.

The diversity of manufacturers that put forward nominees also creates an impression on Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre director, corporate affairs, Kelly Godeau.

“We saw nominations from some of Australia’s largest businesses through to smaller companies that expressed the same (huge) pride for the work their female staff contributed,” she says.

Nominations for the Women in Industry Awards increased by 27 per cent this year compared with 2019. The Women in Industry Awards celebrate achievements across the mining, engineering, transport and manufacturing sectors.

“The level of commitment these nominees dedicated to their roles exceeded what would be deemed necessary.

“Many sacrificed personal time to get things done to ensure a safer workplace, better policies, encouraging more women and younger girls into manufacturing, and lifted the perception of what it meant to work in Australian manufacturing.”

But judge and Institute of Quarrying Australia chief executive Kylie Fahey says that one thing stood out in each application: a genuine commitment and passion to improve the industry.

“The awards promote the contribution of women and support the broader agenda of diversity and inclusion,” she says.

“By highlighting and celebrating the

contribution of women to the industry, we can encourage more women into careers, help increase representation in leadership roles and support change.”

Driving force behind awards Atlas Copco, a long-term supporter of the Women in Industry Awards, came back this year as the sponsor of the Rising Star of the Year award.

As a global manufacturer of air compressors, vacuum pumps and industrial gas equipment, with offices in major cities across the globe, Atlas Copco has always maintained a strong focus on diversity and inclusion.

Atlas Copco’s commitment to creating an inclusive work environment for its employees is reflected in their commitment to supporting the Women in Industry Awards, five years in a row.

In the words of the company’s spokesperson, “The Women in Industry awards is a special way in which we can show our commitment to advancing the gender balance in industry.”

“As a global company, Atlas Copco recognises the link between diversity and innovation and as we say: ‘there is always a better way’ and contributing to these awards is just one way that we can show that Atlas Copco recognises the talent and achievement of females across our industry.”

Another long-term sponsor, BOC, has been supporting the Women in Industry Awards for the past six years. This year,

they came back to support the Safety Advocacy Awards.

For over 80 years, BOC has been producing high-quality gas throughout the South Pacific, using local talent and resources. Given the nature of their industry, it is not hard to imagine why safety is a priority for BOC when it comes to the Awards’ sponsorship.

“We strive to constantly improve safety for our staff, customers and our community,” says the BOC spokesperson.

This year too, BOC was impressed with the calibre of nominees and winners at the Awards.

“The calibre of nominees and winners each year demonstrates considerable leadership and commitment to their various sectors, and aligns with BOC’s focus on the pursuit of excellence in industry.

“BOC believes the Awards are an important event, and it’s critical companies continue to support the participation of women in industry and shine the light on the women who are true role models in leadership,” the company stated.

The Excellence in Engineering Award was sponsored by BAE Systems Australia. As one of the largest employers of engineers in the country, BAE Systems has a strong focus on gender diversity.

“We have female engineers to thank for many of the world’s greatest innovations yet they make up only 12 per cent of engineers employed in Australia,” the company stated.

Some of the focus areas of BAE Systems to improve gender diversity within the team include: Flexibility in the workplace, advancing gender balance and offering opportunities in education. Current BAE Systems’ initiatives in this area include partnerships with the Foundation for the Inspiration of Science and Technology (FIRST), Northern Advanced Manufacturing Industry Group (NAMIG), and the University of South Australia.

“Awards such as these are important to not only celebrate achievement but to also provide inspiration to others to break down barriers, and excel in the engineering industry.”

The Women in Industry Awards 2020 once again highlighted the achievements of women in the mining industry, as well as in manufacturing, road transport, logistics, rail and bulk handling, infrastructure and engineering.

Above all, the awards provided an opportunity for companies to learn from each other’s experiences and get inspired to extend their support for more inclusion and diversity across the sector.

Women in Industry 2020 winners

Social Leader of the Year

Jackie Lewis-Gray - BAE Systems Australia

Rising Star of the Year

Alicia Heskett - Shell Australia (QGC)

Business Development Success of the Year

Rachael Ashfield - ifm efector

Industry Advocacy Award

Rose Read - National Waste & Recycling Industry Council

Safety Advocacy Award

Nadine Youssef - Sydney Trains

Mentor of the Year

Dayle Stevens - AGL Energy

Excellence in Manufacturing

Rochelle Avinu - Leica Biosystems

Excellence in Mining

Sarah Withell - Whitehaven Coal

Excellence in Engineering

Elizabeth Taylor - RedR International

Excellence in Transport

Melissa Strong - Lindsay Australia