Australia mining giants BHP, Rio Tinto face vast sexual harassment case

Class action lawsuit accuses companies of allowing systemic abuses over decades

20241230N BHP truck

BHP's workforce is 37.1% female, up from 24.5% in 2019 but still male-dominated. © Reuters

RURIKA IMAHASHI, Nikkei staff writer

SYDNEY -- Major Australian resource companies BHP Group and Rio Tinto are facing a class action sexual harassment lawsuit, casting doubt on their efforts to promote diversity and increase the proportion of women in their ranks.

Joshua Aylward, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, says many victims will join the lawsuit to expose the reality of systemic sexual harassment that has occurred at the companies over the past 20 years, according to Australian public broadcaster ABC.

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