Rio Tinto

On 24 May 2020, Rio Tinto detonated explosives at the Juukan Gorge in Western Australia's Pilbara region as part of the expansion of its Brockman 4 iron ore mine, destroying two rock shelters of exceptional cultural and archaeological importance to the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura (PKKP) peoples. Archaeological evidence from one of the shelters demonstrated human occupation extending back approximately 46,000 years. Excavations had recovered thousands of artefacts, including a grinding stone approximately 30,000 years old and fragments of an approximately 4,000-year-old hair belt. Australia's parliamentary inquiry subsequently described the site as having national and international significance. Australian Parliament – “Never Again” inquiry into the destruction of Juukan Gorge: https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Joint/Former_Committees/Northern_Australia_46P/CavesatJuukanGorge/Interim_Report The Australian parliamentary inquiry found that Rio Tinto had been provided with substantial evidence over many years about the cultural importance of the shelters and their significance as evidence of human occupation stretching back approximately 46,000 years. Crucially, the inquiry concluded that Rio Tinto had considered four mine expansion options and deliberately selected the only option that required destruction of the rock shelters because that option maximised access to the valuable iron ore deposit. Australian Parliament – Findings concerning Rio Tinto's decision-making: https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Joint/Former_Committees/Northern_Australia_46P/CavesatJuukanGorge/Interim_Report/section?id=committees%2Freportjnt%2F024579%2F75133 Although Rio Tinto had obtained legal permission under Western Australia's Aboriginal Heritage Act to disturb the site, archaeological work conducted after that approval demonstrated that the shelters were considerably more significant than previously understood. The parliamentary investigation examined Rio Tinto's subsequent decision-making, its consultation with the PKKP and why the destruction was allowed to proceed despite the new information. The destruction triggered widespread condemnation and a parliamentary inquiry entitled “Never Again.” The committee said the blast had destroyed a site representing 46,000 years of culture and history and devastated a place of personal, community, national and international significance. The corporate consequences were substantial. The controversy ultimately resulted in the departure of then-CEO Jean-Sébastien Jacques, along with other senior executives. Jacques was replaced following the company's handling of the Juukan Gorge disaster. Company response: Rio Tinto apologized for the destruction and acknowledged serious failures in its heritage-management and decision-making processes. The company subsequently committed to changing its approach to Indigenous cultural heritage, improving engagement with Traditional Owners and strengthening internal governance and oversight. Rio Tinto also committed to working with the PKKP on remediation and restitution. The company acknowledged that full reconstruction of the destroyed shelters is impossible, committed to protecting other parts of Juukan Gorge and said it would maintain a permanent moratorium on mining in the area around the gorge. Rio Tinto – Response to recommendations following Juukan Gorge: https://www.riotinto.com/-/media/content/documents/news/releases/2020/rt-jscna-recommendations-dec20.pdf Rio Tinto has subsequently supported stronger cultural-heritage safeguards and said reforms should ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are placed at the centre of decisions concerning protection of their cultural heritage. In 2022 the company stated that changes were necessary to ensure an incident like Juukan Gorge never happens again. Rio Tinto – Cultural heritage reforms following Juukan Gorge: https://www.riotinto.com/news/releases/2022/rio-tinto-welcomes-moves-to-strengthen-cultural-heritage-protection Key facts: Rio Tinto destroyed two Aboriginal rock shelters at Juukan Gorge on 24 May 2020; archaeological evidence demonstrated approximately 46,000 years of human occupation; thousands of artefacts had been recovered; Rio Tinto had substantial information about the shelters' cultural significance before their destruction; Australia's parliamentary inquiry found the company selected the only one of four mine-development options requiring destruction of the shelters because it maximised access to the iron ore body; the destruction triggered a major Australian parliamentary inquiry; senior executives including CEO Jean-Sébastien Jacques subsequently left the company; and Rio Tinto apologized, committed to remediation with the PKKP and introduced changes to its cultural-heritage practices. The case represents an exceptionally serious failure of corporate decision-making and Indigenous cultural-heritage protection because the destruction was irreversible. Australia's parliamentary investigation found that the company knew of the site's extraordinary significance yet proceeded with a mine plan requiring its destruction.

An independent review of Rio Tinto's workplace culture published in February 2022 identified widespread and systemic problems involving bullying, sexual harassment, racism and other forms of discrimination across the global mining company. The eight-month review was conducted by former Australian Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick and her team and commissioned by Rio Tinto itself. More than 10,000 employees contributed through an online survey, more than 100 group listening sessions, 85 confidential individual sessions and nearly 140 written submissions. Rio Tinto – External review of workplace culture: https://www.riotinto.com/news/releases/2022/rio-tinto-releases-external-review-of-workplace-culture Full Everyday Respect Report: https://www.riotinto.com/-/media/Content/Documents/Sustainability/People/RT-Everyday-respect-report.pdf The review concluded that bullying and sexism were systemic across Rio Tinto worksites. Almost half of respondents reported experiencing bullying during the previous five years. Sexual harassment was also widespread. 28.2% of women and 6.7% of men surveyed reported experiencing sexual harassment at work during the previous five years. Rates were particularly high among younger women: the report found that 34.4% of women under 25 and 38.7% of women aged 25–34 had experienced sexual harassment. Most seriously, 21 women reported experiencing actual or attempted rape or sexual assault during the five-year period examined by the review. The report also identified serious underreporting. Only approximately one in eight employees who had experienced sexual harassment reported their most recent incident. Among women who experienced sexual harassment, 83% did not report their most recent experience, according to the review. Racism was another significant problem. Among Australian employees identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, 39.8% of men and 31.8% of women reported experiencing racism. Employees interviewed for the review described racism as persistent across multiple Rio Tinto locations, and the report found a perception among some workers that racist behaviour had become normalised in parts of the company. Rio Tinto – Everyday Respect programme and reports: https://www.riotinto.com/sustainability/respect-inclusion-diversity/everyday-respect Company response: Rio Tinto publicly accepted the seriousness of the findings. Then-CEO Jakob Stausholm described them as deeply disturbing, apologized to current and former employees who had suffered from the behaviour and expressed shame and regret about the extent of bullying, sexual harassment and racism within the company. Rio Tinto committed to implementing all 26 recommendations contained in the independent review. However, an independent 2024 Progress Review showed that the problem had not disappeared despite the reforms. Rio Tinto reported that 39% of respondents had experienced bullying during the previous 12 months, compared with 31% in the earlier survey. 7% reported sexual harassment, unchanged from the comparable 2021 figure, while 7% reported racism. Most seriously, in the 2024 review eight people reported actual or attempted sexual assault or rape during the previous 12 months, compared with five in 2021. Another 32 people reported pressure or requests for sex or sexual acts. The majority of people reporting these experiences were women. Rio Tinto – 2024 independent Progress Review: https://www.riotinto.com/en/news/releases/2024/rio-tinto-releases-findings-of-external-progress-review-on-workplace-culture Rio Tinto said the follow-up nevertheless showed evidence of cultural improvement. Around half of respondents perceived improvements in bullying, sexual harassment and racism, employees were more empowered to speak up, and the company had largely implemented the original 26 recommendations. Rio Tinto acknowledged, however, that employees continued to experience unacceptable and harmful behaviour and announced additional measures covering leadership, training, workforce diversity and reporting. In December 2024, Rio Tinto was also named in an Australian class-action lawsuit alleging widespread and systemic sexual harassment and discrimination at mine sites. The allegations include claims that women suffered adverse treatment after reporting harassment. These claims are allegations and should be distinguished from the findings of Rio Tinto's independent reviews. Rio Tinto said it treats such claims with the utmost seriousness and does not tolerate sexual or sex-based harassment. Reuters – BHP and Rio Tinto face sexual-harassment class actions: https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/bhp-rio-tinto-face-sexual-harassment-class-actions-australia-2024-12-11/ Key facts: More than 10,000 Rio Tinto employees participated in the original independent review; almost half reported experiencing bullying during the previous five years; 28.2% of women and 6.7% of men reported sexual harassment; 21 women reported actual or attempted rape or sexual assault; only about one in eight people experiencing sexual harassment reported their most recent incident; 39.8% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and 31.8% of women surveyed in Australia reported racism; and Rio Tinto acknowledged that bullying, sexual harassment and racism represented serious problems within its workplaces. A second independent review published in 2024 found harmful behaviour was continuing, including eight reports of actual or attempted sexual assault or rape during the preceding year. The evidence is particularly significant because these findings did not originate solely from litigation, media allegations or an outside activist group. Rio Tinto commissioned the independent investigation, published its findings, accepted their seriousness, apologized to affected workers and implemented a company-wide reform programme in response. The 2024 follow-up nevertheless demonstrated that serious bullying, sexual harassment, racism and sexual violence continued to be reported within Rio Tinto workplaces.