Engagement with our local stakeholders has always been at the heart of our corporate responsibility programme. We want to be welcomed as good neighbours, actively engaging at a local level, and making a positive contribution to more resilient and thriving communities.
But our work over the years has taught us that effective community dialogue is a two-way conversation and requires us to actively listen to the needs and expectations of the local community - and to respond and adapt accordingly.
Frequent meetings with our stakeholders are crucial to maintaining that open dialogue. That's why ArcelorMittal USA held 499 meetings in 2014 with a breadth of stakeholders - from employees, peers, and customers, to local public officials, community members, and non-profit organisations.
These meetings provided an opportunity to ask questions, identify potential issues of significance, and share ideas and expectations. As a result, we've been able to identify material issues and determine thoughtful responses to questions and concerns from our stakeholders - promoting a culture of transparency.
Another lesson we have learnt is that, when it comes to community investments, our support must go beyond merely giving charitable donations. Instead, we must adapt to the specific needs of the community, aligning them with our own skills and business strategy. That's why our community investment will be focused on two priorities, moving forward. All our sites will be focused on supporting both the local community and the global need for greater science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) education and skills.
But a time of crisis is the ultimate test of this ability to adapt to community needs. As a major, local stakeholder, we can play an active role in our communities when crises strike. Take our response to the devastation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, for example, following the flooding in May 2014.
Despite limited attention from global media, more than 1.5 million people were left in need of aid after the worst floods ever recorded in the country. The support and aid provided by our sites in Zenica and Prijedor included emergency payments to cover food, water, and sanitation equipment - as well as employee fundraising and clean-up crews.
We committed $500,000 to reconstruct roads, and to dredge the Berek River to help prevent future flooding. By the end of 2014, 63 percent of this money had been paid and work continues on these projects.
The individual work of our employees in the communities they live in is also of great importance. Last year, 5,172 employees took part in one of our volunteering programmes, offering a total of 27,346 hours voluntary work.
One of the company's most significant employee volunteering programmes is our "Solidarity Holidays", in which global staff work alongside in-region ArcelorMittal volunteers to support a community agency on a particular project.
Above: volunteers travelled to Bosnia and Herzegovina this year to run a children's camp
A commitment to protecting the rights of indigenous people and respecting best practice in community land use is also at the heart of our role as a community member. We do everything we can avoid involuntary resettlements in the areas in which we operate. When unavoidable, we strive to adhere to international standards and comply with the national or relevant regional authorities' guidelines on resettlement and compensation.
But there's always more to be done. We know we need to communicate more openly with local stakeholders in the communities in which we operate - and we need to ensure they know more about who we are, what we do, and what we contribute.
Our new sustainability strategy will help us to do this so we can remain an active, beneficial member of our many communities across the globe.
By Alan Knight, general manager, corporate responsibility, ArcelorMittal
To learn more about how we are actively contributing to the communities in which we operate:
> Read about the how we play our part in ArcelorMittal's 2014 sustainability report
> Learn about our sustainability outcome on being a welcomed member of the community
Featured image credit: letgrowtherapy.com