De Beers Sponsoring Women in Mining Photo Contest

London--De Beers is among the sponsors of a photography competition currently underway that celebrates the women who work in mining worldwide.

Launched March 8 in conjunction with International Women’s Day, the International Women in Mining (IWiM) photo competition is designed to celebrate the diversity, talents, energy and resilience of women at all levels of the mining industry.

The theme of the contest is “impact and influence.”

Submissions from both men and women, and professional and amateur photographers, are welcome, and they can be of women who work in any type of mining.

The photos can include pictures snapped in a variety of situations, including at mine sites and corporate offices, at large-scale or artisanal mines, or of decision-makers in government who are involved in mining.

Submissions should be accompanied by a caption that describes why and how the photos celebrates the contest’s theme, impact and influence.

“We encourage submissions that are bold, creative and send a powerful message of women’s roles in the industry,” said Katie Fergusson, De Beers’ head of social performance. “We want to shed a light on women in mining, with images that increase women’s visibility and promote gender equality.”

The judges are De Beers Group CEO Bruce Cleaver; Dr. Sharman Stone, ambassador for women and girls, Australia; and Tom Butler, chief executive of the International Council on Mining and Metals.

They will be judging the photos in the categories of mentoring, leadership and initiative, and there will be a people’s choice component as well.

Deadline for submissions is April 16, and entrants are allowed to submit as many photos as they would like. There is no fee to enter the contest.

Winners will be announced May 15 on the IWiM website. The grand prize is a Nikon D5600 DSLR camera kit, while the runners-ups will receive travel vouchers.

For more information, visit the IWiM website.

International Women in Mining is a London-based organization that works to implement initiatives worldwide that improve gender balance in the mining industry and foster professional developments. IWiM has more than 9,000 member in more than 100 countries.