Rio Tinto underwent some soul-searching after sexual harassment and assault allegations were aired in a Western Australian parliamentary inquiry into the state's fly-in-fly-out mining industry, which uncovered an endemic culture of sexism, sexual misconduct and cover-up across the sector.
A subsequent review by former Australian sex discrimination commissioner Elizabeth Broderick found more than a quarter of female workers at Rio Tinto's operations had experienced sexual harassment and about half of all staff had been bullied.
At the time, Rio Tinto CEO Jakob Stausholm said he was deeply disturbed by the report.
"I feel shame and enormous regret to have learned the extent to which bullying, sexual harassment and racism are happening at Rio Tinto," he said.
Broderick's report made 26 recommendations for Rio Tinto to shift its culture, with measures including making mine camps safer and making it easier for women to report unacceptable behaviour.
The report said Rio Tinto should bolster its investigations process into allegations of harmful behaviour and strengthen support for victims of abuse.
Launched last month in Western Australia, the Transferable Pathways campaign received about 1600 responses, while the Women in Leadership program at Rio Tinto's eastern Australian and New Zealand aluminium operations received the same.
Through Transferable Pathways, women who have not worked in mining before are fast-tracked into operational leadership and planner and scheduler roles across Rio Tinto's Pilbara operations including Gudai-Darri, Marandoo, Robe Valley, Brockman and Cape Lambert.
There are 34 roles available through the program.
The Women in Leadership program includes a developing supervisor pilot program, with eight positions available at Rio Tinto's three Gladstone sites.
The company plans to expand the program beyond Gladstone, with eight more jobs to be made available at Gove, Weipa, Bell Bay and Tiwai Point operations.
Successful applicants in both programs will go through a 12-month course combining on-the-job and classroom training with mentoring, networking, coaching and educational programs.
Rio Tinto chief executive Australia Kellie Parker said the review into workplace culture showed the company needed to foster a more diverse and inclusive workforce and increase the number of women in the business.
"The response to both of these campaigns has been overwhelming and it is encouraging to see women keen to enter our industry as we work to create a more inclusive and diverse environment," she said.
"One way we are trying to do this is to better recognise leadership and work skills gained in other industries and help transfer those to our workforce."
Parker said traditional recruitment practices for the industry meant Rio Tinto was hiring women from the same talent pool.
"By opening up our operational roles to women without industry experience, but with transferrable skills and talent, we not only increase representation of women in our business but also diversity across the industry as a whole," she said.
