Rio Tinto Responds to Sexual Harassment Allegations

By Daina Beth Solomon
BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) – The head of global mining group Rio Tinto (NYSE:RIO) committed to take action if wrongdoing is found after sexual harassment lawsuits were filed against the company.

This week, Brisbane-based law firm JGA Saddler filed a class action against Rio and BHP Group (NYSE:BHP), alleging widespread and systemic sexual harassment and discrimination at Australian mine sites.

The lawyers claimed both companies used confidentiality agreements to silence female employees about workplace harassment, despite both BHP and Rio stating they currently do not use NDAs for such allegations.

In an interview, Jakob Stausholm, CEO of Rio Tinto, promised to address any misconduct. "If something that is not okay is happening, it's unacceptable. And we'll do everything to avoid that," he stated. Stausholm expressed his distress upon hearing the news.

BHP released a statement apologizing to anyone who has faced harassment at the company. The lawsuits follow an external report by Rio last month, indicating ongoing incidents of rape and sexual assault at its mines. This report updated a cultural assessment from early 2022, highlighting issues of bullying, harassment, and racism within its operations.

Although Rio has made several changes to improve working conditions, the company acknowledges that further efforts are necessary.