The awards acknowledge outstanding women across a range of industrials sectors, recognising those who are driving change.
The Women in Industry Awards are held each year to shine a much-deserved light on the exceptional work and dedication of women in the industrials sector.
The 2022 presentation night, held in Sydney on September 8, was no different.
The awards are an invaluable opportunity to recognise not just the nominees and winners, but the hard work and dedication of all women in industries such as mining, road transport, manufacturing, engineering, logistics, bulk handling, waste management, rail and infrastructure.
A big winner of the night was idoba chief executive officer Sarah Coleman, who took home the Excellence in Mining award.
Sarah Coleman
The Excellence in Mining award recognises an individual who has made a positive contribution to one of the many facets of the mining industry.
“I honestly feel I’ve received this award on behalf of my whole team of amazing people at idoba, so it’s very exciting to see the team’s work be recognised on a national stage,” Coleman told Australian Mining.
“There is a really strong alignment between the Women in Industry Awards’ objective and the change we are trying to drive in idoba. As a business, we invest a lot in continually building a curious and inclusive environment that empowers diversity.
“Given the calibre of my fellow Excellence in Mining finalists, I have to admit to being surprised and deeply honoured to be named the winner.
“I’ve navigated my share of challenges and setbacks, but overall, I’m very passionate about the growth opportunities the industry offers.”
Coleman is a highly experienced mining and management consulting executive who has worked across operations, improvement, innovation, technology, and asset management.
She founded leading business improvement company ImpRes in 2010, and now heads idoba as its chief executive officer.
Weir Minerals is “very excited and proud” to support the Women in Industry’s Excellence in Mining category.
“Highlighting inspirational female leaders, pioneering initiatives and exceptional talent of today and tomorrow,” Weir Minerals said.
“The Women in Industry Awards align with Weir’s own global inclusion and diversity agenda to ensure we develop a culture where everyone’s voice is heard, and where we care for, respect and encourage each other, helping to champion gender equality within our business and our industry.”
Fulton Hogan, an infrastructure construction, roadworks and aggregate supplier, was also a major winner on the night, coming out on top in multiple categories.
Fulton Hogan general manager Sarah Marshall took home the Excellence in Construction and Woman of the Year awards, while Joanne Jeffs, Barbara Pitos and Nina McHardy were awarded the Social Leader of the Year award, Safety Advocacy award and Industry Advocacy award, respectively.
“Being recognised as Social Leader of the Year was a career highlight,” Jeffs said.
“I have passionately been advocating for people from disadvantaged backgrounds for a number of years and this award recognises how far our industry has come.
“The Women in Industry Awards showcase the amazing work that is being done across many industries and recognise the incredible impact that people and organisations are having on improving the lives of individuals, their families and local communities.”
Jo Jeffs
During her time with Fulton Hogan, Jeffs has championed multiple strategies to develop and deliver best practice processes in diversity and inclusion, social procurement, Aboriginal workforce participation, workforce development and community engagement.
This includes a coaching and mentoring program for the project’s First Nations employees known as the Kicking Goals Program.
“We need to get to a point where everyone who wants to work can secure meaningful employment, without having to overcome the many barriers that exist for so many,” she said.
Marshall has been leading the Fulton Hogan team as general manager for over three years. She has spent her career spearheading positive change in the industry by driving sustainability, improving culture, and making improvements in gender diversity.
Marshall is also a board member of the Australian Constructors Association (ACA) and Executive Sponsor of ACA’s Capability and Capacity Board Committee, deputy chair and board director at the Infrastructure Sustainability Council (ISC), co-chair of the Diversity and Inclusion committee at Roads Australia and chair of the CILF Capability and Capacity Group.
Sarah Mashall
“For someone like me that has worked in construction industry for over 25 years, these awards are a reminder of how far we’ve come and how much that is still left to do,” Marshall said.
“We must continue to drive positive change and make a difference now and for the next generation of women and men, breaking down barriers and creating new possibilities.
“It is also so important to have senior leaders like myself in the mix for awards – I truly believe that ‘you can’t be, what you can’t see’, so I know that they are so valuable for younger females coming up the ranks.”
Helen Tower, who was named Rising Star of the Year (sponsored by Atlas Copco) said her award was not just a reflection of her own achievements, but was a testament to her entire team at CSL Seqirus.
The Rising Star of the Year award recognises an individual who has shown significant promise within their chosen industry or who has reached new goals at the start of their career.
“I know we can use the power of science to solve so many of the world’s problems, but to fully achieve this we need a diverse workforce of women and men from all backgrounds,” Tower said.
“I believe these awards are an important platform to celebrate women across the mining, transport, manufacturing, engineering, logistics, bulk handling, waste management, rail and construction industries.
“I’d strongly encourage women at all stages of their career to seek out a mentor who can help them thrive in their chosen industry.”
Helen Tower
Tower is a Seqirus Analytical Science and Technology (AS&T) validation specialist at pharmaceutical manufacturing company CSL Seqirus and is an essential part of helping Australia locally manufacture life-saving vaccines.
“Education plays a huge role in influencing our career choices, so I would encourage schools and universities to further implement educational resources that break down barriers and provide equal access to women interested in pursuing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers,” she said.
Tower was pivotal in creating frameworks that enabled Seqirus to nimbly adapt their manufacturing process to produce the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.
The 2022 awards were sponsored by Atlas Copco, Weir Minerals, and Komatsu. Commenting on the awards, Komatsu expressed pride in its sponsorship.
“Komatsu is proud to once again be a sponsor of the Women in Industry Awards to celebrate the successes of the incredible women working in our industry,” the company said.
“All nominees and winners are making their workplaces and communities a better place for future generations, which closely aligns to our core values at Komatsu.”
Fellow sponsor Atlas Copco agrees that diversity in business is a “critical driver” for long-term success.
“The Women in Industry awards is a special way in which we can show our commitment to advancing the gender balance in industry,” the company said
Other winners from the night:
Sage Hahn– Business Development Success of the Year
Louise Adams– Excellence in Engineering
Rebecca Healy– Excellence in Manufacturing
Frances Ross– Excellence in Transport
Danielle Bull– Mentor of the Year
This feature appeared in the November issue of Australian Mining.