06 October 2020
The Maintenance team at BMA’s Goonyella Riverside Mine were excited to accept delivery of a brand new Komatsu 930E-5 haul truck that stands out from the rest - its tray has been painted turquoise in celebration of BHP’s LGBT+ ally community, Jasper.
Jasper is BHP’s LGBT+ ally network that focuses on strengthening our inclusion culture by providing advice on ways to mitigate bias and ensuring that LGBT+ people are respected, valued and free from discrimination.
Diana Sanchez, Superintendent Mods & Ops Projects from the BMA Asset Engineering team, identified an opportunity to work with the suppliers, Komatsu and DTHiload, to implement the initiative. Diana believes that symbols like this send a powerful message to our employees:
“The Jasper truck might look different, but it does exactly the same job as all the other trucks in the pit, it carries the same amount of dirt. Just because it is different, doesn’t mean that it is any less important,” said Diana.
The Jasper tray at Goonyella is a symbol of inclusion that serves to raise the profile of the LGBT+ community and add to the culture where all our employees feel safe being themselves at work.
The group’s name was inspired by the unique mineral rock, jasper – an opaque and fine-grained variety of quartz known for its unique multi-coloured patterns - reflecting the rich diversity of the LGBT+ community.
General Manager of Goonyella Riverside Mine, Sean Milfull, is a strong supporter of BHP’s Jasper community, and he recognises the value of inclusion and diversity.
“At Goonyella, and across BHP, we are working on building a workplace that values our differences. My hope is that by having visual reminders like the Jasper truck onsite, we are creating a workplace that is safer and more inclusive, as I want everyone to feel welcome at Goonyella,” said Sean.
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