Komatsu has continued to demonstrate its commitment to inclusion and diversity, and is working to drive real change across the industry sectors that it serves.
Areas where it is leading by example includes its “Say again?” campaign to help create a safe, respectful and inclusive workplace, engaging more than 50% female apprentices for its 2021 intake, and supporting increasingly diverse recreational activities within communities it engages with.
The company’s approach to ensuring inclusion and diversity across all aspects of its operations was outlined in detail in an article in EEM in early 2020 by CEO and Managing Director Sean Taylor.
In last year’s article, Taylor pointed out that for Komatsu, inclusion and diversity, means that individual differences are recognised, respected and embraced as an opportunity to learn and enhance capability.
Say Again?
Say again? was first rolled out in August 2019, and designed to create a workplace environment that is safe, respectful and inclusive.
“This is incredibly important for the future success of our business and aligns with the values we all uphold,” said Taylor.
Komatsu recently refreshed Say again? to remind everyone in the company that they all have a part to play in building an inclusive workplace.
“Say again? is a powerful tool to call out inappropriate comments and behaviour – with kindness and respect.”
It builds on six “motivators” to encourage people to use Say Again? when it counts.
These cover the following:
1. Recognising what people say matters.
2. Times are changing.
3. Consideration of others.
4. Giving people space to think again about their words.
5. A “fix it first time” approach, so that potentially offensive comments can be dealt with before they escalate.
6. Giving every Komatsu employee the right to call each other out.
“We want everyone at Komatsu to have the courage to use Say again? and everyone in the company to have the character to accept when they are being called out.
“If everyone plays their part, we will move towards becoming the inclusive, innovative and winning organisation we want to be,” said Taylor.
Most gender diverse apprenticeships intake
In late 2020, Komatsu announced that its latest intake of 57 new apprentices included 29 females and 28 males.
“This is a clear indication of our ongoing commitment to diversity and ensuring we attract the best-possible candidates to work with us at Komatsu,” Taylor said.
“In the years to come, these apprentices will play an important and ongoing role in the service and support capabilities we provide to customers.”
Supporting diverse community organisations
During 2019 and 2020, Komatsu began supporting two Queensland-based women’s sports organisations.
In Mackay, Central Queensland, the company came on board for the 2019-2020 season to support the Komatsu Challenge Series: a T20 competition played over eight rounds in a Mackay City vs Mackay Country format.
For the 2020/21 season now underway, the matches are being played under lights at Mackay’s Harrup Park on Friday nights.
An extra bonus that began this season has been the ability to livestream the Komatsu Challenge Series matches through the Mackay Cricket Livestream Match Centre (https://mc-mca.sportzvault.com/).
This has really helped generate interest in the competition, with Mackay is currently the only regional centre in Australia providing live coverage of women’s fixtures.
2020 also saw the start of a new sponsor partnership between Brisbane’s West Rugby Club and Komatsu, partnering with Wests and supporting the women’s rugby program.
Komatsu is committed to continue the sporting partnership into 2021 and will work with club officials to introduce the team to opportunities available with the Komatsu family. Future plans include tours of our local operational facilities, the local team presenting opportunities to females in non-traditional roles and introducing players to Komatsu’s apprentice program.
“These initiatives to support community sports teams are part of Komatsu’s ‘everyONE counts’ Inclusion & Diversity strategy,” said Taylor.
“We are very proud of our efforts to foster collaboration and inclusion, not only within Komatsu, but across the wider communities with which we engage.
“Today, diversity, in particular gender balance, is a critical issue for industrial companies globally – Komatsu included.
“For us, the key is to make our businesses more welcoming and attractive to women.
“This not only involves leadership to achieve cultural change, but also requires hard changes in human resources policy around recruitment, through to things like parental leave and flexible working hours,” Taylor said.