Gold Fields Limited has said it is committed to eliminating all forms of inappropriate and harmful behaviours at the workplace which affect the lives of other employees.
The interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Gold Fields, Martin Preece said: “We must create workplaces where all our people feel safe and supported to speak-up and voice their experiences and concerns, without fear of adverse consequences”.
This, he expressed, should be done “with the confidence that they will be listened to; and anyone observing or experiencing such behaviours should feel that they can and should speak up in support of their colleagues”.
The comment followed the release of an independent workplace culture report – undertaken by Elizabeth Broderick and Co. (EB & Co) – that revealed some disturbing workplace culture.
“Bullying, sexual harassment, racism and any forms of inequality and exclusion have no place at Gold Fields. I want to apologise to the people in our business who have been exposed to these behaviours,” Preece said.
He explained that the exercise was intended to “help us understand and address these unacceptable behaviours decisively; and create a workplace that everybody feels part of, is attractive to talent, and where everyone can reach their full potential.”
“Around 45 percent of our employees responded to our request to share their experiences. We have listened to and heard their voices. We know that many of our people have not previously felt able to come forward with their experiences, resulting in instances of unacceptable behaviour going unreported and unaddressed.
“Our people and all other stakeholders have my commitment, and that of our Board and leadership, that we will work to eliminate inappropriate and harmful behaviour at Gold Fields. It has no place in our workplaces, or anywhere else in our industry or society. The board and executive have also made an unequivocal commitment to vigorously pursue the recommendations set out in the EB & Co review as a priority,” he added.
According to the EB & Co review report, 47 percent of respondents reported experiencing bullying – with 23 percent of women and seven percent of men reporting experiencing sexual harassment.
Also, 15 percent of the respondents were revealed to have experienced racism, and 29 percent of those who identify as LGBTIQ+ also reported having experienced harassment. Meanwhile, some were reluctant to openly acknowledge their status in the workplace.
It is against this background that the Chairman of Gold Fields, Yunus Suleman said: “The board is distressed at the EB & Co Review findings and the negative impact of these unacceptable behaviours on so many Gold Fields employees and contractors”.
He said they will be monitoring the efforts of Exco and other levels of leadership to eliminate these behaviours at Gold Fields workplaces. “We appreciate the work already being done to achieve this goal, and expect that further work will have the desired effect,” he added.
Elizabeth Broderick acknowledged that: “This review is an important step to fully understanding the extent to which Gold Fields’ culture is safe, supportive and inclusive, and what the company can do now to improve and transform this culture”.
She opined that commissioning an independent external review demonstrates courage and a desire to learn, especially when it is coupled with a strong commitment to transparency.
“There was strong participation in the review across the board,” she noted – which she said signals that people at Gold Fields are engaged in the process of change.
Based on the voices and lived experiences of people at Gold Fields, she maintained that the findings provide a solid foundation on which the company can build to ensure everyone feels safe, respected, included and heard.
The EB & Co review report also offered a comprehensive list of recommendations for Gold Fields: which include the need for inclusive and committed leadership, modelling the changes required; prevention and early intervention through workforce capacity-building (training and awareness-raising); and a robust policy framework.
It also advocated for a human-rights focus, particularly concerning workplace facilities; the establishment of person-centred complaints mechanisms; and ongoing monitoring, transparency and accountability.
