This is the second story in a series highlighting the five pillars of Freeport’s Proudly Creating Better Futures, which conveys the full value of working at Freeport. Read the previous stories here.
The first rule of working at Freeport-McMoRan’s rod mills in Miami and El Paso is everyone goes home safe at the end of the day.
It has to be.
The work environment at the mills is one surrounded by molten metal, heavy machinery and high-voltage electricity. Every employee is expected to take responsibility for their own safety and the safety of others, said Roger Laija, Manager-Rod Mills, who oversees both locations.
That sense of looking out for each other extends beyond the workplace to ensuring the well-being of workers and their families.
“We want to make sure our employees feel they are coming to work at a place where they know somebody cares about them, is concerned about their safety and their future, and wants to provide a clean and safe work environment,” Laija said. “Part of our job is we build relationships with our employees, so they know ‘you are more than a number. You are important to me, and I want you to know that. This place can’t run without you and by no means do we take that lightly.’”
This holistic approach is at the heart of Freeport’s Proudly Creating Better Futures, which portrays the value Freeport brings to employees, communities and the world, as well as what makes the company special.
One of the five pillars is We Care for Your Well-Being by fostering a safety-first culture and offering high-quality health and wellness programs.
Building a safety culture is something that takes place every day and grows over years, said Stacey Koon, Vice President-Safety, Health and Technical Training. It’s not something that happens overnight, she said.
“Safety is a core value of Freeport and foundational to our culture,” Koon said. “Safety is not a separate thing our people do; the work isn’t separate from the safety procedures. Safety procedures are part of the way work is done. They are part of the way you think. It’s a mindset that’s part of the way we run our business.”
Watching out for employees’ well-being
Caring for the well-being of every employee extends beyond jobsite safety, said Tiffany Gifford, Senior Director-Compensation and Benefits. It involves offering a comprehensive benefits package providing access to quality, affordable health care, enhanced mental health support, education assistance, a generous 401(K) retirement plan and a variety of other valuable services.
The Benefits team conducts ongoing research to help ensure Freeport’s offerings remain competitive. They are benchmarked against similar companies within and outside of the mining industry, as well as against other large employers and general market data. Employee feedback is regularly sought through annual benefit surveys to gauge their satisfaction and identify opportunities.
“It’s more than just your paycheck,” Gifford said regarding Freeport’s overall total rewards package. “We believe it is essential to provide benefits that offer our employees a sense of security and reliability. Whether from a health and wellness standpoint or regarding life and disability, we want people to feel supported. Our goal is to ensure they have robust offerings available to protect their mental, physical and financial well-being.”
Freeport is regularly recognized as a top employer both in the United States and globally. In 2024 alone, it was named one of the 100 “Most Just Companies” for the fifth time in independent reviews conducted by JUST Capital, and one of the best places to work in the U.S. in annual rankings by Forbes Magazine.
Competitive pay and benefits, workforce retention support, opportunities for advancement and training, and commitment to protecting worker health and safety are key factors in these rankings. These elements are also essential to the success of Freeport and its employees, said Pam Masson, Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer.
“We want people to stay and grow with us,” Masson said. “We aim to support employees and their families while standing out as an employer of choice. We are deeply committed to offering a robust pay and benefits package that we’re proud of and that supports our employees when they need it.”
The whole story
Keeping employees safe and healthy at work and home is just one of the Proudly Creating Better Futures pillars. The four others help tell the whole story:
- We Responsibly Move the World Forward – Offering you innovative and impactful work by responsibly producing the metals that improve everyday life for all.
- We Invest in Your Growth – Providing pathways for career advancement and skills development to help you grow.
- We Value and Reward Your Contributions – Recognizing and rewarding your contributions with competitive, performance-based pay.
- We Succeed Together – Creating a supportive team environment enabling us to excel together and be Foremost in Copper
Learn more in upcoming FM News stories.