ArcelorMittal, a Luxembourg-based steel producer, has released its corporate responsibility report 2008: How will we achieve safe sustainable steel? The company has a commitment to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 8% by 2020 from a 2007 baseline. At ArcelorMittal, 36 million tonnes of CO2 emissions were saved through recycling of scrap steel. It also achieved certification to ISO standards of environmental, health and safety management systems, in 91% and 37% of operations respectively.
Achievements in 2008:
— Foremost, ArcelorMittal developed a new corporate responsibility strategy, which categorizes its previous 12 commitments into four priority areas, and is backed up by performance indicators. The performance areas are:
— Investing in our people
— Making steel more sustainable
— Enriching our communities
— Transparent Governance
Some of these performance areas are already measured against targets.
ArcelorMittal spent $295 million on research and development in 14 different research centers across the globe in 2008.
The ArcelorMittal Foundation supported 587 projects with investments amounting to over $57 million.
ArcelorMittal is working on advanced technologies to redefine the steel making process and contribute positively to the global challenge of climate change. It is using its expertise in steel to find ways to operate more efficiently, to develop pioneering new processes and more sustainable practices, and to work in partnership with its customers and suppliers to help them achieve their environmental goals.
Some of ArcelorMittal’s operations are already outstanding examples of practice in social and environmental performance. Indeed some, like those in Brazil, have a long and proud track record in this area, and are regularly cited as role models for others. Likewise, its plants in Europe and the US have set the pace for the whole steel industry in carbon emission reductions. Reaching these high standards across the business is a priority for ArcelorMittal.
Other highlights in this year’s report include:
— Communities – Habitat for Humanity: In 2008, the ArcelorMittal Foundation set up a partnership with Habitat for Humanity that involved financial support, volunteering opportunities for our employees and a design scheme to use our expertise in steel construction to develop new, sustainable, low-cost approaches to building family homes. The first steel frame homes are being constructed in Romania, using light steel frames designed by our R&D team in Liege, Belgium. The goal is to build more durable homes using steel frames and roofing in countries that are prone to natural disasters, as well as training communities to adopt safer construction practices.
— South Africa Schools: Formed a partnership with the South African Department of Education to build 10 schools throughout the country using new steel technology. The first school, Mamelodi Primary, is scheduled for completion by the end of 2009. This investment not only ensures that we have a pool of skilled resources for our own operations, but also contributes towards addressing the skills shortage in the country in general.
— Workplace:
— $20 million dollars invested by ArcelorMittal University in training programmes for employees
— 17,751 participants from 23 countries in its academies and induction programmes, representing almost 40,000 training days
— Group lost time injury frequency rate was reduced to 2.3 per million hours worked (from 3.3 in 2007).
Commenting on the launch of the report, Gonzalo Urquijo, Member of ArcelorMittal’s Group Management Board responsible for Corporate Responsibility, said: As the 28th largest business in the world, operating in 60 different countries, we have an important responsibility not only to business, but also to society more generally. Our corporate responsibility strategy has been designed to ensure that as a business, we don’t only focus on what we do, but also how we do it. We want to make sure that wherever ArcelorMittal is located in the world, we are producing steel to the highest standards with the most positive benefits for all our stakeholders, direct and indirect. We are aware of the areas where we need to improve and although we don’t have all the answers yet, we are investing in resources to find them.
The report is based around ArcelorMittal’s four areas of corporate responsibility: Investing in our people; Making steel more sustainable; Enriching our communities; and Transparent Governance.