Tata Steel will become the first company in the country to open doors to transgender persons in the mining sector.

Tata Steel has sought applications only from transgenders for the role of heavy earth moving machinery (HEMM) operators (trainee) at its West Bokaro coalfields divisions in Jharkhand’s Ramgarh district.

“Tata Steel India Workplace Equality Index certified (for LGBTQ+ inclusion) is looking for candidates (transgenders only) for the post of HEMM operators trainee (dumper, drill dozer, excavator, payloader, crane, etc) for its coal division at West Bokaro, Jharkhand,” said the company in the job posting.

“This landmark initiative not only aims to break the glass ceiling but also targets mainstream transgenders in the society. Historically, Tata Steel is known for creating a diverse, inclusive, safe, and fair workplace across the globe. From establishing 8-hour work to free medical aid to leave with pay to becoming the first to implement 5-day-work-week to becoming the first company to implement menstrual leaves to enabling gender transition to women@mines, Tata Steel continues to further extend its arm to the transgender community for a more inclusive industrial growth. Expanding beyond its confines of factory and offices, transgenders will now be deployed as HEMM operators at mining location in West Bokaro post proper training,” an official said.

LGBTQ+ refers to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, and related communities.

Tata Steel vice-president human resource management Atrayee Sanyal said: “At Tata Steel, we believe a diverse and inclusive environment enriches the variety of thoughts, perspectives, and therefore strengthens the organisation. In our experience, workplace diversity not only attracts the best talent and widens the talent pool but also drives business results. We will continue to work towards actively promoting LGBTQ+ and building a benchmark workplace.”

To be eligible for the job, one should have passed Matriculation and be born between September 1, 1981, and September 1, 2003; and candidates would be evaluated with a written test, interview and practical orientation test, followed by Medical Examination, it stated.

Tata Steel has been known for hiring candidates from the LGBTQ community. In 2020, the company was named as a Top Employer for LGBT+ inclusion by India Workplace Equality Index (IWEI), the country’s first comprehensive benchmarking study to measure and enable efforts for LGBT+ inclusion.

“IWEI Top Employers is the definitive list showcasing the best employers in India for lesbian, gay, trans employees. Tata Steel’s place as a Top Employer 2020 recognises the company’s commitment to advancing equality for LGBT+ people. Tata Steel is one of 18 organisations to feature in the Silver category,” said a company official.

In 2019, the steel manufacturer introduced a new human resource policy that enables its employees from the LGBTQ+ community to declare their partners and avail all HR benefits permissible under the law.

In August, Tata Steel West Bokaro division announced that it has onboarded 16 women HEMM operators at Tata Steel’s West Bokaro Division in all shifts under its flagship programme — Women@Mines. Tata Steel’s Women@Mines programme aims to provide technical training to unskilled women workers and enable them to work in core jobs in mines.

From the formation of MOSAIC in 2015 to participate in RISE — the largest job fair for LGBTQ+ in Asia to train transgenders, Tata Steel has not only evolved as a global torchbearer but has also encouraged others to be inclusive.