BreakingTheBias with Shahana Buchanan, Our Head of Process Safety

The words of Shahana Buchanan, our Head of Process Safety, speaking about some of the practical challenges she’s faced throughout her career. A chemical engineer by training, Shahana is no stranger to breaking the gender bias and smashing stereotypes. She has built a global reputation as an expert in process safety and is an Honorary Lecturer for Safety and Loss Prevention at University College London (UCL).

As a discipline, process safety is not widely understood, even within the engineering community. But simply put, it focuses on preventing fires, explosions, and accidental chemical releases in process plant and equipment. Process safety is well established in the chemical, oil and gas, and pharmaceutical industries. 

Shahana began her career on factory floors and construction sites where she worked in numerous technical roles including as an engineering and maintenance manager. Over the years, she’s worked in the US, Canada, and Switzerland for some of the world’s largest companies, including BASF, Courtaulds, Smith & Nephew, and Nestlé, where she was Global Head of Process Safety, overseeing 480 manufacturing sites in 80 countries.

It requires a strong background in engineering combined with an understanding of the philosophy of safety and broader safety management.”

Shahana joined Anglo American in August of 2021. Since then, she has been building her team and working on a refreshed process safety programme for the organisation.

“When I’m recruiting, I try to build a diverse team, with all the strengths that it represents. So, before I join an organisation, I have to be sure they have the right values, in terms of inclusion and diversity.

“With Anglo American, I asked lots of questions at the interview stage and I was able to talk to women who work here and learn about the organisation’s approach to gender parity. I was impressed – it’s very clear that they walk the talk.”

Like many female engineers, in the early days of her career Shahana had to overcome significant barriers and obstacles - and not just when it comes to getting the right safety clothing.

“I would go for a job interview and the interviewer would be shocked, expecting a man to turn up, because the job title on my CV said maintenance manager. And on site, people often just assumed I wasn’t the engineer in the group because I was female,” commented Shahana.

“That sort of bias, unconscious or otherwise, isn’t restricted to mining or any other industry, and it needs to change. Looking back at my career so far, things have improved but we’re not there yet in terms of parity in all areas.

“We need to encourage more women into engineering and other STEM roles and personally I would love to see more women and a greater diversity of people working in process safety, and other technical functions.

“More role models will help, plus training to help break all those unconscious gender biases as well, so women have truly equal opportunities. I know Anglo American started on this work a long time ago and have committed to doing more in the future via their approach to inclusion and diversity. And from what I’ve seen so far, I know they will deliver.”

Read more about inclusion and diversity at Anglo American here.