Jan 31 2008
ArcelorMittal today announces the launch of "Inside Transforming Tomorrow", the second season of its successful Web TV at www.arcelormittal.tv .
The new season will monitor the performance and progress of the company post merger, as it seeks to deliver on its brand promise of 'transforming tomorrow'. It will also focus on the challenges it faces as not only the biggest steel company in the world, but one of the 50 biggest companies globally, doing business in over 60 countries.
In-line with the approach of the Web TV's first season, the new season has been constructed around the same transparency that characterized the first season, giving stakeholders an opportunity to speak frankly and honestly about their experiences working for or doing business with the company.
Web TV season I's main objective was to provide an effective communications channel to the 320,000 ArcelorMittal employees around the world during the delicate integration phase following the 2006 merger of Arcelor and Mittal Steel. It proved one of the most successful communications exercise undertaken by the company, both internally and externally spanning 15 episodes, 544,431 unique visitors, 882,054 pages views and near 250,000 views of the video episodes.
"The Web TV was envisaged as a one off tool for the integration process," said Nicola Davidson, VP of Corporate Communications. "However we had such good feedback -particularly internally - that we recognised its value as an open and transparent way to enable employees to share their views about the company and share in the global challenges and success of the business they work for. We have effected a successful merger but that doesn't mean there are not new challenges ahead. Last year we launched our new brand 'transforming tomorrow' with the values of "Sustainability, Quality and Leadership". We regard these values as core to our continued success as a business and the Web TV is an important tool in enabling us to track how we are performing against this promise."
Aditya Mittal, CFO and Member of the Group Management Board and also Responsible for Communication, said: "Season II takes a personal, more human approach where the viewer is invited to share moments of the lives of the men and women that are the very essence of ArcelorMittal. Around the globe the viewer will experience the challenges and aspirations that form our daily life, and be a part of the communities that build this thriving company. I hope that the result helps our stakeholders better appreciate the enormous scale and scope this company has and the numerous ways we are working towards having a positive impact in the world around us that helps transform tomorrow."
The first episode features the company's Liberia project. Having acquired the mining rights to a major iron-ore deposit in 2006, the Liberia project is an important part of the Group's stated ambition to increase its iron-ore self-sufficiency to 75%. The episode tracks the challenges the company faces in a country which has been subject to many years of civil unrest and the progress it is making. It must not only focus on developing the mines but also on developing the appropriate infrastructure that will enable the sustainable development of the project and community. This includes investment in areas such as education and healthcare.
"We are delighted that the Liberian iron ore project was chosen to launch the new season of the Web TV" said Joe Mathews, CEO of ArcelorMittal's Mining Project in Liberia. "Liberia offers an excellent opportunity for ArcelorMittal to transform tomorrow - for the country as well as the operation here. We hope this exposure will further enable the transfer of skills, training and ideas from our sister facilities to build this venture from the ground up."
"I have been coming to Liberia for some years now and I can see the positive changes that are beginning to take place. Nevertheless the country faces huge challenges. Unemployment for example stands at 80%. The country definitely needs investors such as ArcelorMittal to help kick-start its economy and provide jobs."
ArcelorMittal has worked with Communication agency Vanksen | Culture-Buzz and the Production House Connected Pictures in producing this season. In parallel to the episodes, the site has been developed as a rich community-oriented space where, like in season I, visitors are encouraged to get involved with the content, react to the stories, and actively be a part of the endeavour.