Inclusion Meets Innovation
June 23, 2022
Jenny has always been passionate about supporting the underdog and creating a sense of community. As the Australia chapter chair for Lambda, Caterpillar's LGBTQIA+ employee resource group (ERG), her ambition is to bring visibility to LGBTQIA+ employee perspectives and activate allies for the community.
"I believe it's important to create a space where people are embraced for who they are," Jenny said. "The more we can show that we value diversity, we're signaling to particular employees they are welcome."
Outside of Lambda, Jenny's role at Caterpillar is to help our customers embrace technology. So last year, while working to build the relationship with our customer, Newmont, she had an idea -- what if we brought a visible sign of inclusion to a machine at a customer site?
Turns out all it took to make it happen was one simple question. Once the idea was on the table, Newmont's own LGBTQIA+ ERG, Embrace, organized the painting of a rainbow body for a new Cat® 793F Autonomous Mining Truck at an open-pit gold mine in Boddington, Australia.
Jenny works as a Senior Operational Risk Consultant in Brisbane, Australia. She also serves as the Caterpillar Lambda Network’s Australia chapter chair.
One Simple Idea. A Big Sign of Support
How does painting the body of a Cat mining truck support inclusion? From Newmont’s perspective, visibility is considered one of the first steps toward breaking down discrimination. For those in the LGBTIQA+ community, visible signs of inclusion have been shown to foster a greater sense of identity affirmation.
"The display might seem insignificant, but for those that know, it means a great deal," Jenny said.
“Personally, it makes me smile every time I see it running around site,” added one Newmont employee.
The images of the truck have since been used by Newmont globally, serving as a visual representation of the company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. While this visibility provides the LGBTQIA+ community a sense of belonging, the rainbow body also sends a powerful message to employees, business partners, and the broader community that Newmont, like Caterpillar, is committed to fostering change and supporting all people.
The Deal and Technology Behind the Rainbow
The rainbow truck was deployed at Newmont’s Boddington mine site – the first open-pit gold mine with an autonomous haul fleet – just in time to commemorate the company’s 100-year anniversary. The truck was the first implementation of a three-phased plan to integrate four Cat® 793F Autonomous Mining Trucks. Newmont has invested in this phased approach to take advantage of the rigorous safety controls that reduce employee exposure to potential vehicle interactions and to increase productivity.
Located 120 kilometers from Western Australia’s capital city, Perth, Boddington is the largest gold mine in Western Australia. The Cat® MineStar™ Command for hauling system efficiencies are expected to extend the mine’s life by at least two years.
Autonomy and automation is just one example of how our services are helping our customers succeed, and Newmont’s rainbow body truck is a shining example of how our products and technologies can meet at the intersection of innovation and inclusion.
United by Our Values: Diversity and Inclusion at Caterpillar
At Caterpillar, we believe in The Power of Everyone as a source of innovation and competitive advantage. We are proud that our people come from across the globe, with diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. The diverse thinking and decision-making of our people strengthens us.
We know that by working together, we can produce better results than any of us can achieve alone. We are united by our Values in Action and collectively committed to our purpose of helping our customers build a better, more sustainable world.
