Grants and community support given, public sector support received

Due to the financial downturn and resulting personnel reductions and lay-offs, our sponsoring activities and donations have been reduced in 2009. Therefore, we have not collected corresponding data from our organisation. Sponsorship of local events and support for charities provided in accordance with Outokumpu's Communications policy totalled some EUR 0.7 million in 2008. Outokumpu does not take part in or otherwise support political activities whether they are local, communal or national. Outokumpu does not make donations to any political parties or groups.

In 2009, Outokumpu and other member companies of the Association of Finnish Steel and Metal Producers founded a fund to promote university-level research, teaching and studies of technology and business issues concerning the metals production and covering the entire production chain. The fund awarded grants totalling EUR 0.3 million in 2009. Outokumpu was also one of the founding members and a corporate partner in the biennial Millennium Technology Prize, the world's largest technology award. The prize of almost EUR 1 million is awarded to a technological innovation that significantly improves quality of life.

The Outokumpu Oyj Foundation did not grant any awards in 2009.

Outokumpu's Swedish Stainless Steel Research Foundation donated EUR 30 000 to Oulu's University Fund. The donation was meant for the research work on stainless steels and it supports future metallurgical research work carried out in the Oulu University.

In 2009, Outokumpu received EUR 0.7 million from the public sector to support Group research and the development of new technologies, products and applications (2008: EUR 0.7 million).