Teck recently became the first mining company to sign the ‘Pledge for an Acceptable Worksite’, according to a press release.
The pledge comes from the Builders Code, an initiative of the Construction Workforce Equity Project, which is funded through the B.C. Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills and Training through the Canada-BC Labour Market Development Agreement and the Sector Labour Market Partnerships Program, according to the Builders Code website.
The announcement of Teck’s signing of the pledge came on International Women’s Day, March 8.
According to Teck’s press release, the pledge is “an industry-leading standard from the Builders Code to support a more respectful and inclusive workplace for worksites in British Columbia… Teck is the first mining company to sign on to the pledge.”
Red Conger, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Teck, said: “We know that a diverse company is a strong company, and we are committed to fostering a working environment at all of our sites that respects and values everyone. Signing on to the Pledge for An Acceptable Worksite on International Women’s Day is one more way we are taking action to further strengthen diversity across Teck and reinforces our commitment to the values of inclusion and respect.”
Signing the pledge puts Teck in the company of over 200 employers across B.C. who have committed to the Builders Code, which is a collaboration between government and industry through the Construction Workforce Equity Project, the release says.
The pledge “supports overall goals of safety, productivity, quality and innovation through several key practices: recruitment and hiring, retention, culture, education, awareness and community.”
Chris Atchison, president of the BC Construction Association, which manages the Builders Code, said they are pleased to bring Teck into the Builders Code fold.
“A commitment to psychological safety for all workers is important on every worksite, from high-rise towers to mines and everything in between. Partners like Teck are helping to lead diversification of traditionally male industries, and we hope that other mining companies will join them,” he said.
The press release concludes: “Teck is committed to being a leader in responsible mining, supporting an equitable, diverse and inclusive workplace. Teck has been named to the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index for five straight years. Teck has also been named as one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers by Mediacorp Canada’s Top Employers program for the past five years, and for the second year in a row Teck was included in the Forbes World’s Best Employers list and Canada’s Top Employers for Young People.”
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josh.fischlin@thefreepress.ca
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