BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) has welcomed the arrival of a uniquely painted Komatsu 930E-5 haul truck to the Goonyella Riverside coal mine to celebrate its lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ+) community.
The Komatsu 930E-5 features a turquoise tray that stands out from the company’s other haul trucks in recognition of the company’s and the wider LGBTIQ+ community, Jasper.
Jasper is an ally network that focusses on strengthening BHP’s inclusive culture, providing advice on mitigating bias and ensuring that LGBTIQ+ people are respected, valued and free from discrimination.
BMA asset engineering team superintendent mods and ops projects Diana Sanchez said the Jasper tray of the Komatsu 930E-5 truck represented a powerful symbol to send an important message to 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,” Sanchez said.
“Just because it is different, doesn’t mean that it is any less important.”
This symbol of tolerance aims to raise the profile of the LGBTIQ+ community and add to a culture where BHP and BMA employees feel safe to bring their whole selves to work.
Goonyella Riverside mine general manager Sean Milful is also a strong supporter of the Jasper community.
“At Goonyella and across BHP, we are working on building a workplace that values our differences,” Milful said.
“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.”
The Jasper group was formally endorsed by the BHP executive leadership team and Global Inclusion and Diversity Council in 2017 to drive a safe and inclusive work environment and is open to all employees, whether they identify as LGBTIQ+ or as an ally to the community.
The name Jasper was inspired by the unique mineral rock jasper, an opaque and fine-grained variety of quartz known for its multi-coloured patterns.
The group has more than 1100 members across the company and provides a safe space for employees to voice their concerns.