On March 8th, Kinross celebrated International Women’s Day – an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the achievements and contributions of women around the world. At Kinross, we are proud to have a diverse workforce with many talented and dedicated women who have made significant contributions to our business.
Let’s see how our global operations celebrated the special day below!
Corporate
At our Corporate headquarters in Toronto, Canada, our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) team partnered with Kinross’ Technical Service team (KTS) to kick off International Women’s Day by discussing the theme #Embrace Equity to support women thriving in the workplace, alongside guest speaker Brittany Gataveckas, Manager of Social Sustainability at the Global Compact Network Canada. Together, the teams welcomed Toronto office employees to a discussion on the value of inclusive work environments, why this year’s theme is relevant and the importance of effective partnerships and allyship.
The DEI team also hosted a global webinar on International Women’s Day featuring inspirational female Kinross leaders who discussed their experiences and had a conversation about what it means to embrace equity. Other topics included the critical role allies have in forging gender equity, addressing the barriers women face, how to accelerate progress through inclusion, and the opportunity to create a dialogue with our WIM100 winners around building a culture where we #EmbraceEquity. A special thank you to our host, panelists and guest speaker that can be found below:
Alaska
In Alaska, the team held a special gold pour for female employees to attend – for most it was their first gold pour to watch! All employees were then invited to attend a brunch where they discussed equity in the workplace and the evolution of women’s rights and influence, which was led by Fort Knox’s leadership team. Employees also received custom swag such as beanies, headbands and hard hat stickers with a commemorative International Women’s Day logo.
Aside from on-site activities, the team provided charitable donations to female non-profits in Alaska including a donation of US$5,000 to a local women’s shelter – the Interior Alaska Center for Non-Violent Living. Employees also created gift baskets for a silent auction with proceeds going to the Farthest North Girl Scout Chapter in Fairbanks.
Nevada
In Nevada, Claude Schimper, Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer, joined the Round Mountain team alongside two representatives from the Western Shoshone Duckwater tribe located in Nevada, for a special day dedicated to getting to know the women of Round Mountain, and how we can further support women in mining.
The day began with a welcome breakfast, followed by employees virtually attending the ‘Embracing Equity – Strategies for Changemakers’ workshop hosted by our Corporate office, a team walk and two break-out sessions. The day then concluded at the ‘Pledge Wall’ where employees put forth their commitments to supporting women and continuing to build on our culture of inclusion and diversity.
Great Bear, Ontario
At Great Bear, Kinross partnered with the New Start’s for Women Shelter to donate a gift basket for their Women of Merit Luncheon in Red Lake. Female representatives from Kinross attended the luncheon where two women who have made differences in the lives of women and girls in the Red Lake and Ear Falls areas were presented with awards for their accomplishments.
Paracatu, Brazil
In Brazil, Paracatu is focused on strengthening the support network among female employees and encouraged them to write short letters about themselves from both a personal and professional lens. The letters were then shared with other women in an effort to learn more about one another and find shared goals and interests. For the remainder of March, the women will have an opportunity to meet with the person who’s letter they received to build on their relationships and to expand their network at the site.
Chile
Employees in Chile participated in ‘Women’s Week’ which consisted of various events and activities to celebrate women. The week kicked off with an astrology session and review of astral charts hosted by a renowned Chilean tarot reader, and a comic show with well-known Chilean actresses and women from our operations titled ‘Malas Madres’ which translates to ‘Bad Mothers’ and focuses on realistic comedy surrounding motherhood and everyday life.
On International Women’s Day, a special breakfast was held for the Copiapó and La Coipa teams where several women from the Company were presented with awards for their outstanding accomplishments. Angeles Destefano, Senior Manager, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Toronto, spoke to attendees about the importance DEI plays in a workplace and how we can continue moving women in mining forward, and later hosted a workshop on DEI for employees. The week concluded with a spa day for female employees where they received massages, manicures and pedicures.
Las Palmas
In Las Palmas, employees participated in a DEI themed treasure hunt that aimed to celebrate our female workforce and support an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued. In order to be eligible to participate, and win a series of prizes, employees had to complete a diversity and cultural awareness course beforehand.
Tasiast, Mauritania
At Tasiast, employees welcomed their families to the mine for a site tour that included stops to the pit lookout, living spaces, and leisure areas. During the tour, a ceremony took place that was hosted by Brahim M’Bareck, President of Tasiast, and Maria Rodmell, Vice-President, Global Human Resources, Toronto, who spoke on the importance of women in mining and at Tasiast, and building on our culture of DEI.
Tasiast has implemented numerous improvements to support women’s professional opportunities including adjusting maternity leave and creating a ‘Women’s Lounge’ for female employees to have their own space to get to know one another in a comfortable area.
Thank you to all our employees who participated in International Women’s Day and to all the amazing women who make up our workforce and industry!
