Comunidad Mineras

BHP Minerals Americas operations in Chile reached its target of 40 per cent of female representation by FY2024. At Escondida, this target has not only been met but exceeded, with female representation consistently above 40 per cent in recent financial years. As of June 2026, female representation stood at an average of 45.3 per cent. 

At the Escondida operation, we attract, train and retain our female workforce through a robust employee experience from day one. Our aim is to provide women in Chile with the same opportunities as men to develop their careers in the high-level, international industry that is mining. BHP believes that we must reflect the diverse societies in which we develop. The Escondida operation continues our goals of bringing on and retaining qualified female labour.  

Since 2016, our efforts have focused on training female talent and bringing them into our operations. Mineras is a three-to-four-month training program at the Industrial and Mining Training Center in which women from Chile’s Antofagasta region, receive focused training to perform roles as operators (plant and mine) and maintainers (mechanical and electrical). After completing the training process, around 80 per cent of participants enter the company with a fixed-term contract for six or 12 months, with a pathway to obtaining a permanent contract.  

Additionally, since 2021 Escondida has promoted two initiatives aimed at strengthening local capacity development among fourth- and fifth-year students from the Faculties of Engineering and Science at Universidad Católica del Norte and Universidad de Antofagasta. 

Through these initiatives, the Sesiones Heuma program and the Work Readiness program complement academic training while also opening real opportunities for more young people ‒ especially women ‒ to envision their professional future in the industry. To date, around 1,200 students have participated in these initiatives, of which 50 per cent are women. Escondida was recognised by the HEUMA Consortium at the Women and Mining Dinner 2026, organized by the Antofagasta Industrial Association (AIA), receiving the 2026 Award for Best Contribution to Gender Equity in the Industry. 

In September 2023, Escondida launched Comunidad Mineras: An internal collaborative network comprising workers who seek to expand their connections, promote better career development and facilitate more women being part of the company. Over the last six months, over 500 women have voluntarily participated in 15 Comunidad Mineras activities, including workshops, conversation circles, welcoming new workers and networking activities. 

So that we can best track Comunidad Mineras, its success is measured over a period of 12 months using Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). These KPIs include the number of:   

• workers registered in the community (Target: 500 women)  
• internal activities carried out (Target: 20 internal activities)  
• external activities where workers represent the Mining Community (Target: 10 external activities) 
• people impacted by the Comunidad Mineras (Target: 500 people) 
• workers participating in the activities carried out (Target: 500 women) 

In addition, and in line with the commitment to gender balance, Escondida has backed local talent. In FY2026, over 80 per cent of interns come from the Antofagasta region, of which over 40 per cent are women. 

Overall, through the combination of Mineras, the Consorcio Heuma initiatives and Comunidad Mineras, we have not only increased female participation but also strengthened local talent pipelines and improved retention outcomes, helping position Escondida as a leader in gender equity in mining.