By Sharyn Macnamara
Kasturi Adari, BME’s general manager for Human Resources (HR) talks DEIB – diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging – in the blasting industry where STEMI (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Innovation) skills are indispensable, but hard to come by.
Building DEIB within BME, and in so doing, in the blasting industry itself – is a work in progress and it all starts with visible felt and authentic leadership,says Adari. All images supplied by BME
Human Resources in most industries is the custodian of both DEIB, which is an absolute necessity in our world today, and change management – as an enabler for transformation. HR impacts all levels of a business, and often in far more ways than meet the eye, says Adari. HR manages the most important asset of a business – the people and the skill set they bring to the business equation. These two elements ultimately “maketh the business”, and by extension, the industry.
Mining – in a constant state of flux
Adari is no stranger to change management, having always been in the services industry and having worked at Telkom, MTN and SGS before getting involved in the mining industry since 2011 – an industry which is always in a dynamic and constant state of flux. “Known to have an idea of what good looks like”, regarded as a “fixer” and adept at setting foundations, standardising policies, putting best practices and processes in place, and creating world class training and upskilling, Adari joined Anglo American that year.
She was intrinsically involved in the optimisation of the company’s global shared services. When Anglo American decided to split her role into HR and Finance in September 2022, Adari took the opportunity to take a sabbatical for the first time since starting her working career at 18, and as a single mother decided to use the time to support her daughter who was writing matric. She left Anglo and joined the Omnia Group two months later, starting her journey in the blasting industry at BME.
Adari currently manages the global people portfolio for the mining segment at Omnia covering Africa, Canada, Australia and Indonesia.
An intrinsic love of people
Adari’s passion for the work she does and the people she works with is almost palpable when she shares the initiatives the business and her team drive within the BME and Omnia world. “Leadership is not about ‘executive position or title’, it’s about connection and influence. At its highest level, leadership is about using the tools at one’s disposal to add value to the world and to bless the lives of others,” she says.
Adari exudes business acumen, but not without empathy. “If I reflect on my life, everyone who knows me from my childhood will attest to the fact that it was not an easy road.” Adari’s mum’s life was brutally taken when Adari was only 14 years of age. Adari had no easy access to tertiary education, but defying the odds, she stands firm as an example to others. Having worked since the age of 18, her achievements are the sum of “hope, dedication, hard work and resilience. I embrace my true self and seek to extract that from others too. My passion is to make a positive difference and to create a supportive environment for others in the business.”
The company has partnered with Palesa Pads and AfriBiz who provide reusable, washable cloth sanitary pads made in South Africa.
Courageous leadership
Building DEIB within BME, and in so doing, in the blasting industry itself – is a work in progress and it all starts with visible felt and authentic leadership, says Adari. Working closely with the BME Executive Team which currently has an astounding 30% female representation, Adari explains that the company has introduced the concept of “courageous leadership – #ICHOOSECOURAGE”. It is a conscious mindset to lead the company’s value-driven culture, within which “to be safe, to grow and be respected, to always do the right thing and to achieve excellence together” is always top of mind.
“This includes holding one another to account and to effectively collaborate to achieve successful business outcomes. We strive to create an environment of psychological safety, where people are able to challenge the status quo respectfully and safely and are enabled to feel comfortable in their own skin so that they come to work fully as their whole and best selves.” She emphasises that this involves understanding one’s role in the business clearly and being fully empowered to fulfil it completely, in order to be accountable for one’s key deliverables and responsibilities. This is very different to the historically hierarchical mining environment and enables safe workplaces that are respectful, free from harassment, creating a supportive environment for all, particularly women, to thrive in.
Continuous improvement
Adari notes that entrenching DEIB is about “continuous improvement and not just chasing prescribed targets for the sake of it”. The explosives industry is a small, niche market and there is literally “a war” for talent with a clear deficit in STEMI-skilled personnel in global terms, not to mention the “brain drain” that South Africa is currently experiencing due to the fact that global entities are able to pay higher salaries and therefore often win the battle in attracting scarce skills.
Within this challenging environment, “We offer equal opportunities for women in all aspects of the blasting value chain,” says Adari. “This includes recruitment, training, career advancement and leadership roles – as seen in the 30% representation at EXCO level.” The mining division of the Omnia Group has a staff compliment of 1707 employees with 21% being females in roles such as senior blasting and blasting technicians; laboratory technicians, R&D laboratory and operations supervisors and chemists; electronics technicians; production, projects and compliance managers, just to name a few.
In terms of addressing the transformation agenda, due consideration is not only given to relevant experience and skill but also to diversity in thought and approach. Where a male and female with similar experience, the same qualifications and the right attitude are competing for a role, the female will get preference. However, at the same time, we are cognisant of setting people up for success and we are intentional about making sure that there is a supportive environment for new employees in this tough, traditionally male-dominated space. We continuously strive to make workplaces conducive for female employees to thrive.
One of the greatest challenges in the mining industry when it comes to achieving DEIB, is that the industry is competing both globally and locally for the same female STEMI talent pool. “We therefore constantly review our hiring practices, using dedicated recruitment processing outsourcing (RPO) for market research to attract the best talent.”
Kasturi Adari, BME’s GM for Human Resources.
Impacting the challenge at grass roots
Addressing the talent shortage at grass roots level is a long-term strategy that BME and Omnia have instituted, and this involves a plethora of strategic initiatives. BME has been intentional about focussing on the youth in the communities in which it operates to address the origin of the challenge. The company’s corporate social investment (CSI) strategy, says Adari, is one that supports the youth holistically and is both trackable and sustainable.
BME is building a love for science and mathematics at the schools within its reach. Targeting grade 7 and 8 pupils in the communities where it operates so as to enable them to develop a curiosity for and love of science. Students at these nominated schools do not have the luxury of science labs, thus the company has partnered with V4Group to supply laboratory kits based on the curriculum. Part of this programme is training teachers on how to use the kits, but also how to get their pupils excited about STEM subjects.
To support this initiative, the company has also partnered with youth development organisation, Prime Stars to enable additional classes to assist pupils during exam time “to ensure they have a fighting chance at success”. Holding company Omnia furthers this ideal, having recently launched STEM bursaries with a focus on females, targeting tertiary education.
BME is also addressing specific challenges faced by girls where many of them leave school or do not attend for up to 7 days per month because of the simplest of facts: they do not have funds for sanitary towels. Adari says, “As shocking as this is, bear in mind that many girls have little choice but to use what is at their disposal such as foliage and even cow dung instead, because they cannot afford other solutions.”
The company has therefore partnered with Palesa Pads and AfriBiz who provide reusable, washable cloth sanitary pads made in South Africa. These are free of toxic chemicals and come with a guarantee of five years, but an actual life span of up to 10 years. BME supplies this proudly South African solution to grade 8-12 female pupils, while also providing the young ladies with information about women’s health issues and pregnancy. “This initiative is closely linked to our Omnia Group core purpose to enhance life and create a greener future – and an integral part of this mission is creating opportunities for people to grow and thrive.”
The company’s efforts do not end there, they extend to assisting communities where some households are child-led. This is where the group CSI spend comes into play in Kromdraai in Sterkfontein, for example – but one of the company programmes rolled out in the communities in which it operates. The “ReelLife Gardening” initiative started off as household gardens but has developed into commercial gardens in an informal settlement where women and young children deliver wheelbarrows full of home-grown produce to an organised off-taker for income. Adari adds, “The beauty of this project is that illegal miners in the area have stopped mining and have joined the community to create their own income gardens”. BME plans to extend this successful gardening campaign to other communities where it is operating .
Furthermore, BME initiatives to assist adults in communities include the offering of entry blasting assistant programmes in Gamsberg, in the Northern Cape, for instance, where 60% of the intake were females. This took place at the Pofadder community learning centre , where BME sponsored a classroom. This initiative offered hope in an area plagued by unemployment. “We intend to expand these kinds of offerings in the various regions where we operate.” Adari points out that early childhood development is where one should also perhaps focus future efforts, “We must encourage children to develop a love of reading and a curious mindset at a young age, so that the studying part comes naturally later on.”
Omnia Team and Prime Stars packing.
Retention of female STEMI skills, investing in the future
Retention of scarce female skills in the business remains an additional level of the challenge in the industry, however Adari believes in the holistic management of this issue using the tools at hand. Providing ongoing education and training opportunities which invest in the individual and career development is one of these initiatives. She highlights that all employees at BME have access to study assistance, noting that specialised training programmes for women, such as a rock-breaking qualification, aim to improve female representation in the field. The company also launched a Leadership Excellence in Action Programme (LEAP) in collaboration with Duke and Rhodes University – where 35% of BME attendees were women. “There is a huge focus on soft skills training, conflict resolution and courageous leadership, as this enhances team effectiveness,” she adds. “We recognise that by investing in education, we empower women to excel in their roles and to have a meaningful career path.”
As the current Omnia objective is to create a pipeline of STEMI talent to ensure strategic succession planning within the business, BME has employed qualified unemployed graduates and is rotating them through various business roles to develop a task team of young talent into “all-rounders”, agile and versatile enough to mobilise quickly to fill roles and gaps at a moment’s notice as and when needed – be it for local or international Omnia operations. This team is being built to fill immediate gaps created by ‘parental’ leave, long absences or travel – while at the same time grooming this young talent to achieve long and fruitful careers in the industry.
Over and above these programmes and initiatives, Adari notes that the development of a strong employee value proposition (EVP) plays a major role in managing retention effectively. In 2023 Omnia introduced a Futurefund to assist employees to pay their children’s school fees and tertiary tuition, where there is a need. The spend in 2023 amounted to R10-million.
Adari’s experience has shown that assisting employees in their overall wellbeing is also a big driver in the retention equation. Many employees have experienced financial distress in recent times and “it is not always about how much one earns, but sometimes it is about the support one needs to get the best bang for one’s buck.” BME has therefore partnered with SUMMIT to offer financial wellbeing support to employees. The skills enhancement offered ranges from understanding debt, to budgeting, to investment planning and even to assistance in challenging irresponsible lenders and also garnishee orders that are unreasonable.
Omnia’s EVP was further strengthened when the company introduced and funded dread disease cover for all permanent employees – just another way of supporting employees. The company also offers a stringent employee assistance programme (EAP) through its partner Reality Wellness, which has been incorporated into everyday activity. This programme offers significant support to all employees, particularly women when it comes to managing work-life balance and helps to create that psychologically safe space that Adari refers to. High utilisation of benefits like this indicates that there is clearly a need for this kind of support and that there is no longer a stigma attached to it, says Adari.
Ultimately, all of these initiatives and programmes, together, help to drive the company closer to achieving its DEIB ideal, but it starts with an intrinsic love of people, authenticity and courageous leadership and can only be achieved through continuous improvement.
Adari’s parting words to women who are entering the blasting and mining sector are, “to be a brave and natural change agent who challenges the status quo to achieve innovation and improvement. This requires the art of learning and collaboration by asking questions to understand first, and then to contribute your value. It is important to start from a position of zero expectation and fully understand what value you can bring to the equation. The day I stop adding value, is the day I am no longer required.”
For BME, her wish is that the company becomes the best blasting solutions provider in the world in the eyes of all its stakeholders. “And, I do not believe for one minute that it is a far-fetched dream. We are moving in the right direction to get there – stabilising our core business in SADC and growing into other markets outside of Africa, where immense opportunities lie.”