Felicidad Cristobal, CEO, ArcelorMittal Foundation   Because the engagement of ArcelorMittal with local communities has always been a priority, the downturn has encouraged us to be more creative with our different partnerships.

 

What has been the impact of the crisis on your activities?

 
During its first 3 years of existence, the ArcelorMittal Foundation focused its efforts on defining its vision, its mission, areas of activity, KPI  and allocation criteria for projects etc.
We have done our best to build strong relationships with local communities, providing not only financial contribution but also encouraging interaction by promoting volunteer work within the company.
The crisis has represented a challenge for the development of new initiatives as the annual budget of the Foundation had to be reduced. 
Many of the third parties with whom we interact in the development of our community projects have gone through difficult periods, and while visible progress has slowed down, we are still present and we are telling local communities that we will continue to be there, regardless of the resources we have at our disposal. Because the engagement of ArcelorMittal with local communities has always been a priority, the downturn has encouraged us to be creative with our different partnerships.
We have succeeded in reinforcing our engagement by promoting the enthusiasm of our employees through voluntary work, which has resulted in a positive impact , and in implementing strategic alliances among our partnerships to move forward with new efforts. One example of this was the involvement of 4 different groups to take children to a special concert. The Philharmonie of Luxembourg provided the space, the EME ("Ecouter pour mieux s'entendre") provided the musicians, who played and explained some musical techniques to the children, the "La Main Tendue" association brought the children, and the volunteers of ArcelorMittal Luxembourg provided the tickets. 
 

What outcome do you expect from the Symposium?

The Symposium represents an opportunity not only to learn from best practices that have had a positive social impact, but also to interact with the different organisations that share the same goal in promoting sustainable development in society.
As a platform for discussion, the event will bring opportunities for new ideas on how to join efforts to tackel poverty, social development and sustainable growth. With the funding restrictions caused by the economic crisis, new forms of financial solutions need to be considered to facilitate project implementation.