I was among the 15 lucky ArcelorMittal colleagues who participated last week in a workshop on Yoga, Pranayam and Meditation techniques in our corporate offices in Luxembourg.

Before joining, I could guess what yoga and meditation were about, but the word ‘pranayam’ was a mystery to me. Now I know it consists of breathing exercises… which made me discover parts of my lungs I think I never knew existed before!

Our trainer was Pramod Jain, a colleague based in India who often comes to the corporate office for business. And when the working day finishes (after 6pm)… the very special yoga training begins! A long day for Pramod, but it’s worth it: “I do it because of the joy I feel inside myself when I practice yoga: I want to share it with as many people as possible.” And share he does!

At the end of the week, most of the participants could already notice some of the benefits of yoga, pranayam and meditation: some said they had lost weight; others had less pain in the back and most of us felt physically and mentally fitter. And everyone smiled!

Not surprising, considering that we heard the following mantra at least once a day for an entire week, as part of the instructions to yoga practitioners: “Put a smile on your face. If you can’t make it, then you have to fake it, but you must always have it.”

Because as Pramod says: “If you keep on smiling, problems will come and leave again. Problems don’t stay with people who smile.”

“My name is Hortensia Delgado Solís and I joined ArcelorMittal in 2008 as a trainee within the Controlling department, more specifically in the area of Costs and Budgeting. 2 years later, I was given the opportunity to enter the Project Engineering team, where I have been working for over a year now. 

The main mission of our department is to support the production, maintenance and process departments as they develop their improvement, operational continuity and safety projects. Our job is to provide them with solutions to problems that otherwise might hinder the production flow. We also carry out projects that go hand-in-hand with the strategic objectives set for the year.

Working in a predominately male working environment is often considered a difficult, almost impossible task for a young woman. But for me, it has been a truly enriching experience.

Since University, I have been surrounded mostly by men. Did you know that only 3% of the students in Mechanic Engineering are women? My experience gave me the necessary tools to later enter and then evolve in a working environment composed almost exclusively of men.

What I think is the most interesting in this ‘atypical’ situation is the 2-way learning experience that takes place between me and my colleagues. On my end, I learned to be less emotional and more rational when taking decisions, which is considered to be a characteristic not only of engineers but also of men in general. Women engineers are appreciated for their caution and analytic skills in decision-making. In return, my male colleagues have learned how to be a bit more orderly and better organised. They learned to work with women, which in an unusual situation for them and not always easy. Together, we embarked on a journey of new possibilities to deliver high quality performances.

To those who think that the doors of steel and mining are open only to men, I can say that this is not the case. There are opportunities for everyone. It is up to we women to open or close ourselves doors through the choices we take. In the words of Abraham Lincoln: Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other.

Collaboration: Silvia Solera Vaughan, ArcelorMittal Costa Rica

Can a company put in place good HR practices in times of crisis? For our colleague Ctirad Lolek, HR Director of our Ostrava site, the answer is yes. This conviction has just been rewarded: our Czech site was recently recognised as the title Best Employer in the Moravian and Silesian Region, and Ctirad himself has been identified as the most significant HR figure in 5 regions of the country. We asked him how he achieved this success…

“First, we launched a new HR strategy in our company back in 2008. Second, it is thanks to the approach we took during the crisis and the way we faced up to the crisis in 2009.

We offered above standard severance pay and also treated the employees in an above standard way. We provided them with a very good outplacement programme which covered e.g. orientation on the labor market, practical and psychological support at our Help Centre. And I would also like to mention special meetings between the  CEO and leaving employees. The meetings were very sensitive but also highly appreciated by leaving employees.

Another element which was highly regarded was that in 2009 we trained more employees than in 2008. We took advantage of the ‘Educate Yourselves’ programme funded by EU. We set up a performance management system, talent management, created a quality development programme for our foremen.

Throughout 2009, we were able to maintain a very good level of communication flow within the whole organisation. We held regular meetings between CEO and talents and special proxy meetings for foremen. Besides, we also managed to set in motion our internal labor market and redeployed over 2,600 employees to new workplaces which increased our flexibility for the future. And all of this was done within the social dialogue with Trade Unions. So, I think that even in time of crisis very good HR activities can be done.”

Collaboration: Ivo Sterba, Communications, ArcelorMittal Ostrava
Photo: Ivo Sterba, Communications, ArcelorMittal Ostrava

You have heard in Episode 1 the feelings and concerns that ArcelorMittal people, from top management to the shop floor, experienced during the crisis. This period has been a tough test for the entire Group, and especially for our leaders.

In the worst moment of the crisis, the Communications team launched Our Leaders Speak – an internal series of video interviews with our top executives about the impact of the crisis in their areas, the measures taken and key challenges ahead.

These are some of the things that they told us…:

• “The economic crisis has been in many respects a blessing in disguise: it has forced us to do things that we were otherwise too busy to think about during the ‘supercycle’”
• “We should never take for granted that good times will last forever”
• “We must expect the worst from the external world, but be extremely optimistic about what we can achieve together”
• “We can look forward to continuing to work for a very healthy company: We were overall very strong getting into this crisis, and we are very well positioned to emerge even stronger”
• “We have to move from survival mode into forward looking mode”
• “All of us ArcelorMittal employees after this are going to come out of this much more united, in order to make a much better company and be the leader – not only in terms of tonnes, but for all our workers, suppliers, customers and communities”
• “This crisis was a sprint race – we must keep the same will to win in the marathon of the future”

Watch all the Our Leaders Speak videos on the Group’s intranet www.myarcelormittal.com – ArcelorMittal employees only

This furnace is a very important communication centre at the plant, as it’s in permanent relation with the steelmaking plant, the ladle furnace, the continuous casting and the Grey rolling mill. My main mission here is to heat the beam blanks that will serve to produce customer’s orders.

We have gone through a period of uncertainty. During the crisis we produced less that in previous years, but thanks to the social measures, we could avoid unemployment due to the crisis.

In my case, I was forced to take all the days-off that I had accumulated in the last years. The Group, however, has been affected in a different way depending on the segment and location.

The beginning of 2010 looks a bit more positive, we’ve seen a pickup in orders from customers and I hope the trend will continue. The beginning of the year has been quite promising, but in fact, I am not fully convinced that we are living a real economic recovery. The media announce a recovery in the steel industry but only time will tell…”

On March 8, the world will celebrate International Women’s Day. And so will ArcelorMittal! In fact, even if steel is often considered an industry ‘only for men’, today 16% of ArcelorMittal employees worldwide are women. Among them, Marta Morawska, Purchasing Manager at ArcelorMittal Siemianowice, Stainless segment. Marta left her homeland of Poland with the Annapurna Alpinist Club to venture out on a climbing expedition. Read on to learn more about her bold enterprise!

Marta and the other alpinists left for Argentina on February 8, 2010. Their objective: to reach the summit of the Aconcagua mountain which, at 6962m, is the highest mountain in the Americas. To be ready for this ambitious enterprise, Marta undertook a strenuous 4-month preparation. “Each attempt to climb desirable mountain peaks is related to a considerable challenge, physical and mental alike. But above all, the indispensible elements are determination, acclimatisation, and physical condition,” Marta explained.

Before taking up the Aconcagua challenge, Marta already undertook a Himalayas expedition, completed the climb of the Elbrus (which at 5642m is referred to as the Crown of the World) and numerous expeditions to the Tatra and Beskid Mountains. “Such intensive training resulted in pain and ‘tiredness’ of my muscles. However what cheered me up was the fact that it was getting better and better every time so at the end of the week the trek through the Beskid trails, in spite of snowy conditions and a 15kg backpack, did not seem too big a problem.”

For the past 2 weeks, Marta has been sharing this experience with her ArcelorMittal colleagues by sending in her impressions on a weekly basis. In her last update on February 19, she wrote: “I feel extremely tired, really shattered but happy because another point was reached – 5100!!!  Unfortunately a few members of the crew had to give up due to mountain sickness. A man can be destroyed, but not defeated.” And looking at Marta you can only conclude: nor can a woman!

Collaboration: Julien Duboelle and Corinne Lysy, Stainless segment, ArcelorMittal

Want to know more?

- ArcelorMittal people can read Marta’s weekly updates on the Stainless Intranet

Fabian Villani has been working in ArcelorMittal Argentina for 17 years as an operator in Villa Constitución, Santa Fe. Read on to learn how he expresses his passion for steel not only inside the plant in his everyday work, but also outside…

Known for being a great professional within the plant, Fabian is also an artist. After work, he “takes his homework home” with only one thought on his mind: creating his next master piece.

With (meters and meters of) steel wire, he has already created many sculptures, all of which stand out for their great realism and attention to detail. “To complete one of my sculptures I used 300 kilos of wire, 31.000 soldered joints and 261 days of intense work”, Fabian explains. Every piece was made with dedication, passion and great effort.

Today, his unique art work is known not only in Santa Fe, but also beyond: in fact, he was invited to take his exhibition entitled “From steel factory to the world of expression” to the Argentinean province of Córdoba, allowing a great number of people to admire his art work. And admire they did!

To conclude, what else but a huge Congratulations to this gifted ArcelorMittal employee, wishing him all the best for his professional, artistic and personal future!

Collaboration: Bárbara Verino, Jorge Maristany and Pablo Arana. Acindar Group, ArcelorMittal.

At ArcelorMittal Lesaka, Spain, we have found 3 good examples of people who combine responsibilities both in and outside their workplace. Juan Fermín Mitxelena, Miguel San Miguel and Ignacio Goyeneche juggle their jobs as employees with their duties as mayors of 3 villages in the vicinity of the factory: Lesaka, Doneztebe-Santesteban and Igantzi.

All 3 are married and euskaldunes (Basque language speakers). Juan Fermín, mayor of Lesaka, lives politics passionately. Miguel San Miguel, mayor of Doneztebe-Santesteban, is the one who has held this position longest and has a special gift for human relations. Ignacio Goyeneche, the youngest of the 3, is also the newest in politics: he was elected to this position only 2 years ago.

All 3 have been working within ArcelorMittal for many years, time enough to have lived numerous interesting experiences both in the plant and outside. “Many people, when they visit the village of Lesaka, wonder where the factory is, although it is so close. This says a lot about the Company’s concern for the environment”, Ignacio Goyeneche says proudly.

Their experience as mayors has given them a unique insight into the area around the plant and the villages they live in.

All 3 employees share the same dream: that the current and future projects of ArcelorMittal Lesaka guarantee the future of this Company, so that it can continue to generate wealth in the area.

- Want to know more? Contact comunicaespana@arcelormittal.com

Internal Communications Shared Service Centre, ArcelorMittal  Spain
Picture: From left to right: Ignacio Goyeneche, Juan Fermín Mitxelena and Miguel San Miguel.

When Katherine Bell, Staff Assistant, ArcelorMittal Government Relations, in Washington, D.C. was invited to sing for US President Barack Obama during the lighting of the National Christmas Tree, it was a dream come true.

“The event was surreal,“ Katherine says. “From the time we rehearsed on the morning of the ceremony to the time we performed that evening, a crowd had appeared, and there were people as far as you could see – except for the beautiful National Christmas Tree and the White House in the background.”

Her group, the 18th Street Singers, was invited to perform on the Ellipse in the nation’s capital on December 3 during the televised Christmas tree lighting ceremony. “When the music started playing and we were standing up there looking out over that stunning scene, I couldn’t help but think that it doesn’t get any better than this,” adds Katherine (bottom row, 4th from left in the picture).

After rehearsing and meeting other performers like Sheryl Crow and Randy Jackson, the 18th Street Singers were invited backstage to meet President Obama and his family.

“About all I could muster when I met the First Family was, ‘Merry Christmas, Mr. President!’” exclaims Katherine, who has also sung in such prestigious venues as the Vatican in Rome. “It is the strangest feeling to be face-to-face with such familiar, well-known figures and to realize that their attention is focused on you.”

“Singing in the National Christmas Tree ceremony was a wonderful experience and an opportunity for which I’ll always be grateful,” Katherine concludes.

To our US singer and to all of you: Seasons Greetings and all the best for the New Year!

Collaboration: Candice Olson, Communications, ArcelorMittal USA

ArcelorMittal was very active in the XI Pampulha International Lap, a traditional street race held every year around the Pampulha Lake in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais.

Sunday December 6, 2009 was the date of this year’s race. Congratulations to our Brazilian colleagues who formed an ArcelorMittal team of 150 runners who ran the 18 kms with the company brand on their T-shirts! Employees of 12 other companies in Brazil and their relatives also participated. The best timing among the ArcelorMittal runners belongs to José Wanderley Estevam Gomes, from the Drawing Area, with 1h04min33s. The over all winner (men) was Kenyan athlete Nicholas Koech, with 52min48s.

ArcelorMittal Brasil put together a support structure for its employees, who gathered in the Ipê Club, on the margins of the Pampulha Lake, close to the start location. On Saturday, the day before the run, they were given the official run kit, the ArcelorMittal kit and light snacks. On Sunday, the day of the race, they were given breakfast and were able to do stretch and warm up exercises supervised by a sports assistance. After the run, there was massage and hydro gym at the club. The programme finished with a get together barbecue and a musical show. Sounds like hard work, but also a lot of fun!

Collaboration: Eimar Fonseca Magalhães, ArcelorMittal Brasil
Photo: ArcelorMittal Team – Pampulha International Lap