Australia’s mining sector is under increasing pressure to meet tougher environmental, social, and governance (ESG) expectations. With new regulations looming and stakeholders demanding more transparency, miners are looking for ways to manage ESG performance better and faster.

Enter Workday, a leading cloud-based platform traditionally known for human resources and financial management. The company is now expanding its capabilities into sustainability with a focus on the mining industry.

Recognizing the struggle many miners face with siloed ESG data and outdated reporting tools, Workday has introduced its Supplier Sustainability solution, designed to simplify ESG reporting and compliance. By unifying finance, workforce, and supply chain data, Workday is helping mining companies get a clear, real-time picture of their ESG risks.

“Workday has capabilities in the ESG space based on the management of people and finance data for its customers,” said Jo-Anne Ruhl, Workday Australia’s managing director and vice president. “Leveraging this data can provide tools to help companies measure, communicate, and mitigate the emissions footprint of their cloud-based applications.”

Workday has been walking the talk for years. Its cloud has been carbon-neutral since 2017, and the company achieved a lifetime net-zero carbon footprint in 2021. Now, it’s bringing those sustainability credentials to one of Australia’s most resource-heavy industries.

With the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and climate-related financial disclosures becoming mandatory, Workday’s solution helps mining firms meet these standards with tools for data mapping, standardization, and auditable financial controls. This includes calculating Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions, a key concern for miners with complex supply chains.

Read More: Workday Announces Sustainability Initiatives for International Customers and Clients

What sets Workday apart is its integrated platform that cuts through ESG complexity. “Having a unified data platform aims to provide a more comprehensive and effective way to manage ESG data across the enterprise,” Ruhl shared. 

This is particularly crucial in mining, where operations span remote and challenging locations. Workday’s cloud-based architecture is designed to work across borders and in harsh conditions, making it an ideal fit for the industry’s unique demands.

The platform also supports pay transparency and regulatory compliance. Through its Marketplace reporting package, mining companies can analyze salary data, detect wage gaps, and align with evolving workplace laws.

Beyond its in-house capabilities, Workday is teaming up with partners like Deloitte to deepen its ESG offerings. Initiatives such as Accelerate2Zero and Climate Adapt focus on emissions planning and climate risk assessment, critical areas for companies looking to future-proof their operations.

Also Read: AI-Powered Sustainability: PwC’s New Tool Changes the Game for CSRD

Workday is also leaning into artificial intelligence (AI). Its Agentic AI capabilities help companies process massive ESG datasets in real-time, improving the speed and accuracy of compliance and reporting efforts.

“One of AI’s greatest strengths is its ability to deal with large data sets in real-time,” Ruhl added. “It’s likely that AI tools will ultimately be used in the ESG space.”

As the mining industry pushes toward net-zero targets and faces increasing investor scrutiny, having the right tech partner matters. Workday’s combination of cloud flexibility, real-time data integration, and ESG-focused features is positioning it as a key enabler for miners aiming to stay ahead.

In a sector where trust, transparency, and sustainability are becoming as valuable as the resources it extracts, Workday may just be the tool miners need to dig deeper into a cleaner, more compliant future.

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Source: Australian Mining