ArcelorMittal

This update report examines ArcelorMittal's environmental and social performance in 2008 through the use of case studies from Bosnia-Herzegovina, Czech Republic, India, Kazakhstan, Liberia, Romania and South Africa.

It finds that although ArcelorMittal held some meetings with affected communities and developed a stakeholder engagement plan for Kazakhstan, communities could not see any tangible improvements in the level of pollution and in the case of Kazakhstan, nor in the health and safety situation in the company's coal mines. The report urges the company to turn its words into action.

The company's new investments in India and Romania further pose an ethical challenge for the company. In India the company plans two giant steelmills and captive mines in the states of Orissa and Jharkhand, which would involve the resettlement of several large villages of indigenous people. As these people are heavily linked to their land they are adamant that they will not let the steelmills be built. Likewise in Romania ArcelorMittal is involved in the Cernavoda 3 and 4 nuclear reactor project, using outdated CANDU-6 technology, which emits high levels of tritium into the local environment and does not include some of the most advanced safety features for the prevention of terrorist attacks. It remains to be seen how the company's wish to be responsible and develop good relations with local communities will be dealt with in these cases.