A 20-year resources sector veteran who paved the way for job-sharing in senior roles has topped this year’s Queensland Resources Awards for Women.
Jo Best, general manager of enterprise excellence and employee experience at Hastings Deering, was presented with her award as Exceptional Woman in Queensland Resources before a record crowd of more than 900 people at the Royal National Convention Centre in Brisbane.
The Queensland Resources Council/Women in Mining and Resources Queensland event was viewed by more than 1400 people remotely via a webcast in Dysart, Middlemount, Moranbah, Rockhampton, Blackwater, Mount Isa and Brisbane head offices.
Read our previous profile story on Jo Best HERE
Ms Best took home a $32,000 professional development scholarship awarded by the Australian Institute of Management (AIM).
A mother of three boys, Ms Best worked part-time for 17 years while leading major projects and teams on operational sites and in corporate offices.
With a previous employer, she was the first person to negotiate a job-share arrangement in a senior role, which led the way for others to better manage career and family commitments.
While at Hastings Deering, Ms Best has developed a program to drive flexibility, diversity and inclusion in the workplace called Together as One, on which she has also delivered a TED Talk.
“I have naturally started to shift from how do I not just do this for myself, but how do I do it for others in an individual way, through mentoring, through one-on-one relationships with my team and with my peers, and now through formal programs with Hastings Deering through our Together as One flexibility and inclusion approach,” she said.
Hastings Deering also won the Excellence in Diversity Programs and Performance award for its Together as One initiative.
Winners of the four other individual categories also took home a $5,000 scholarship from AIM, with a $3,000 scholarship to the leading female Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy (QMEA) student.
The full list of winners is below:
EXCEPTIONAL WOMAN IN QUEENSLAND RESOURCES
Jo Best, Hastings Deering – Winner, Katie Whittle, Shell – Runner-up
EXCELLENCE IN DIVERSITY PROGRAMS AND PERFORMANCE
Hastings Deering – Winner, Anglo American – Runner-up
EXCEPTIONAL TRADE/TECHNICIAN/OPERATOR
Conal Hearps, Peabody – Winner, Demi Keating, BHP – Runner-up, Belinda Maihi, Rio Tinto – Highly commended
EXCEPTIONAL WOMAN IN EXPLORATION
Caoilin Chestnutt, Siecap – Winner, Niki Spurway, Rio Tinto – Runner-up
EXCEPTIONAL YOUNG WOMAN IN QUEENSLAND RESOURCES
Kathryn Young, BHP – Winner, Tammy Eiser, BHP – Runner-up, Claire Chauvier, Glencore MIM – Highly commended
GENDER DIVERSITY CHAMPION IN QUEENSLAND RESOURCES
Jayson Smeeton, BHP – Winner, Shane Johnson, South32 – Finalist, Donna Lynn, BHP – Finalist, Jedda Malone, South32 – Finalist
EXCEPTIONAL FEMALE QMEA STUDENT
Liva Wood, Wavell State High School – Winner, Kassandra Palmer, Kirwan State High School – Runner-up, Siena Linforth, Chanel College Highly commended, Bailey Stoodley, Somerville House – Highly commended
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