India’s First All-Women Shift at Tata Steel’s Iron Ore Mine

Tata Steel has made history by launching India’s first-ever all-women shift at its Noamundi Iron Mine. This groundbreaking initiative, part of the company’s "Women@Mines" and "Tejaswini" programs, aims to empower women in mining, an industry traditionally dominated by men. The shift will include women in all roles, from operating Heavy Earth Moving Machinery (HEMM) to overseeing shift supervision. The launch was marked by the presence of Shri Shyam Sundar Prasad, Dy. Director General of Mines Safety, who praised the government’s support for an equitable workplace. He highlighted the significance of the 2019 DGMS decision to allow women in all mining shifts and commended Tata Steel for taking a leadership role in this initiative. D B Sundara Ramam, Vice President of Raw Materials at Tata Steel, called the all-women shift a landmark achievement, not only for the company but also for India’s mining industry. He emphasised that the initiative reflects Tata Steel’s belief in the importance of diversity and inclusion for innovation and operational excellence. Tata Steel’s journey toward empowering women in mining began in 2019 with the "Women@Mines" program, making it the first Indian company to deploy women in all mining shifts. The launch of the "Tejaswini" initiative further supported this effort by training local women to operate HEMM and integrate them into the mining workforce. The “Tejaswini 2.0” program, launched in 2021, trained women in technical skills, safety protocols, and physical fitness. This led to the recruitment of several women as HEMM operators. Building on the program's success, the “Tejaswini 2.1” initiative attracted over 2,100 applicants and selected 24 women operators. Earlier this year, Tata Steel made further strides in diversity by inducting 9 transgender HEMM operators at Noamundi Mine. These efforts underscore Tata Steel’s commitment to inclusivity and gender equality in the workplace. Tata Steel’s dedication to diversity and inclusion has earned the company global recognition, including the World Economic Forum’s Global Diversity Equity & Inclusion Lighthouse 2023 and the India Workplace Equality Index (IWEI) 2024 Gold Employer recognition for LGBT+ inclusion. The company has also achieved 20% diversity in its India workforce. (Tata Steel)

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