Founder and CEO of inclusion and diversity consultancy I&D 101, Jamile Cruz, has been recognized as one of the “100 Global Inspiring Women in Mining” (WIM100), a Women in Mining UK initiative that celebrates women who have made inspiring contributions towards a stronger, safer, and more sustainable mining industry.
Jamile is a trailblazer and award-winning industry leader who has been inspiring and working towards advancing women’s participation in mining over the years. Her work has been recognized by multiple organizations.
As one of 491 women nominated for WIM100 across 61 countries, Jamile’s recognition is part of the hard work she has been doing for over twenty years with clients, transforming businesses into high-performing organizations and creating and implementing strategies to reduce operational costs and achieve their business goals. In the past four years, with I&D 101, she has been focused on creating new models and the required structure to drive the mining industry and other sectors into a more sustainable future.
“I believe our work has supported the understanding that it takes more than good intentions to transform the mining industry,” explains Jamile. “As with any business priority, the implementation of a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) Strategy that brings results requires an action plan based on the challenges identified in the culture of each organization, associated with clear responsibilities, resources, budget and metrics. Moving an organization towards a defined goal takes work, and if the defined goal is an environment where everybody, independent of their identities can succeed, we need to put in the required level of effort. At the moment, companies are at different stages of their development and maturity level, with a few companies leading the way and showcasing positive results.”
Jamile’s contribution to the mining industry includes opening spaces for conversations that need to happen, creating opportunities for new leadership models and new voices, and challenging the traditional views that keep us stuck in a past that no longer fit our vision of a sustainable and responsible industry.
In 2020 Jamile was recognized by the Canadian Institute of Mining through their Distinguished Lecturers Program for her work developing inclusive workplaces, especially in mining. In addition, she was a recipient of the 2021 Business Changemakers Awards by the Globe and Mail, an award that profiles 50 bold, innovative up-and-coming individuals, based on their ideas, accomplishments and impact transforming Canadian businesses.
When speaking on what she expects in the future, Jamile says she would “Love to see all the organizations we work with moving along in their maturity curve, making real progress towards inclusion. I would like to see the tools and approaches developed by I&D 101 enabling change in more organizations and having a bigger impact on the communities we participate in. The goal is to engage everybody in this transformation.”
About WM100
First launched by Women in Mining UK in 2013, the biennial “100 Global Inspirational Women in Mining” publication – now in its fifth edition – highlights the incredible diversity of talent in mining and celebrates inspirational women and their stories. The current edition of the WIM100 is sponsored by BMO Capital Markets, Heidrick & Struggles, and BCG (Boston Consulting Group).
In 2022, WIM UK received 915 nominations for 491 women in mining from 61 countries. The women featured in this edition were selected due to their inspirational actions. This includes being a trailblazer and making positive and impactful changes so the industry can operate in a more safe, sustainable, and inclusive way; a commitment to advocating and empowering those working in the mining industry and beyond; and perseverance in the face of adversity. Their stories provide inspiration and valuable insight for all.
About I&D 101 Consulting
Toronto-based I&D 101 enables businesses to unlock performance potential by tapping into the talents of an increasingly diverse workforce in ways that set new trajectories for innovation and value creation. The consultancy helps business leaders assess their organizations, clients, customers, and markets, and to understand how an Inclusion & Diversity strategy combined with the right investment will drive more value creation and innovation.