Colombian-born Basto told the well-heeled corporate crowd that when equity and diversity came to the table, society’s biases (to behaviours, systems, processes and other matters) were addressed.

A recent finalist in the 2017 Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia Women in Resources Awards in the women in resources champion category, Basto joined BHP Billiton as a graduate from the University of Santander in Colombia in 1989.

From humble beginnings, Basto said his personal commitment to gender parity stemmed from watching his mother struggle with poverty and illiteracy in their small town, where he made a promise to educate himself.

“I feel very thankful for the opportunity I was given by the organisation.”

A founding member of the BHP Billiton Global Inclusion and Diversity Council, Basto was an important part of BHP’s drive to achieve gender balance by 2025 and achieve a Workplace Gender Equality Agency’s Employer of Choice for Gender Equality citation.

Basto said the most inclusive teams achieved far superior performance in safety, culture and productivity.

Statistically there was 19 to 68% less injuries and workers were more likely to follow proper work practices, when teams were inclusive, and Basto said this was because in their teams people felt safe to speak up, share ideas and work together to solve problems and make better decisions.

He said that having the conversation with the statistics every month maintained the momentum and focus, and while the company set female representation targets they also worked to identify key leading indicators to help move the dial and generate focus on the things that company leaders could visibly do every day to make a difference.

“Inclusion and diversity is not just about numbers or targets, it is about using less muscle and more brain power.”