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Record number of ArcelorMittal Ostrava’s volunteer engagement

Ostrava, 8 December 2008 – The final number of ArcelorMittal employees who got engaged in the voluntary help towards NGO’s reached more than four hundred. Thus, they joined the International Volunteering Day that falls on 5 December. In all 34 NGO’s appreciated the help of steelmakers. „Such a great number of people has never got engaged in volunteering in any Czech company in one region over a few days.“ confesses Monika Pěnčíková, Head of CR team of ArcelorMittal Ostrava.

To organize engagement of several hundreds of people in voluntary projects in one region over three days was not easy at all. “It was an enormous strain for us. We were arranging particular workplace for every employee as well as particular way of help. Our employees signed up gradually and picked the activities according to their preferences – either manual labor or e.g. some kind of creative work,” explains Pěnčíková.

And where did ArcelorMittal Ostrava’s workers help? In Vítkovice Hospital and Havířov Municipal Hospital, Infant Care Centre of Domeček, Iris Senior Home, Ostrava Charity, Silesian Diacony and in many others. More than 40 people from ArcelorMittal Ostrava were helping with a clubroom construction designed for children environmental education which is part of the environmental centre of Dvoreček belonging to SDO Brontosauři. 80 steelmakers got engaged in an animal run cleaning and adjustment or raking leaves.

Even the Trade Union members got actively involved. E. g. members of Kovo TU from the Rolling Mill helped to reconstruct a building for a newly established NGO Žebřík. This organization is focused on help to mentally disabled fellow citizens with their education and social integration. „We helped with clearing the premises and pulling down some walls. It was quite a tough job but we feel really good about it and are committed to get engaged in such an event again.“ evaluates on behalf of TU members Petr Slanina.

About thirty employees of Ostrava’s mill read out fairy tales to children at elementary schools within the project of “Every Czech Reads to Kids” – including Director General Sanjay Samaddar who read to children in the 1st International School in Ostrava. “We welcomed the ArcelorMittal Ostrava’s offer. Our project may be connected in public’s eyes with reading carried out by celebrities. However, we welcome everybody who wants to get engaged in reading to children. Regular reading enriches personality and it is a two way process – affecting both the reader and children. That is in today’s rushing and irritated time crucially important,” appreciates the founder and Project Director Eva Katrušáková.

„In Renarkon ArcelorMittal Ostrava’s employees repainted the lecture hall of Primary Prevention Centre where during the school year various lectures, debates and discussion for children and youth that are part of the long term preventive programme „Be OK“ are hold. It helped us a lot,“ evaluates Deputy Director of Renarkon David Kondělka.

Nearly forty employees of the subsidiary ArcelorMittal Frýdek-Místek got engaged in the volunteering in the centre of social care for physically and mentally disabled people Náš svět in Pržno. Team of volunteers that did not miss even the senior management members repainted several hallways and rooms and set up Christmas trees to decorate the common rooms. „We would like to participate in such an event next year as well and we are already looking forward to it,“ promises an employee of Frýdek’s company Monika Supíková.

ArcelorMittal Ostrava a.s. is the largest steel company in the Czech Republic and a part of the world’s leading steel company ArcelorMittal. It produces more than 3 million tonnes of steel annually and exports approximately 60 per cent of its output to more than 80 countries all over the world. The Company has 7,450 employees; the total number of employees including the subsidiaries is 10,300. Its major shareholders are MITTAL STEEL HOLDINGS A. G. (71.579 %), Havrton Investment Ltd. (13.881 %) and the Ministry of Finance (10.969 %). In the fiscal year of 2007 (which ended on February 28, 2008), the Company generated a consolidated profit (after taxation) of CZK 9.2 billion. With total revenues of CZK 57.7 billion, ArcelorMittal Ostrava is one of the biggest tax payers in the Czech Republic.

Last update: 12.12.2008