Industry and business associations – networking

Outokumpu is an active and responsible actor in society. As the world's sixth largest stainless steel producer and Finland's twelfth largest company (2008), Outokumpu has a significant influence in various issues and the company's opinion is voiced in many forums. In 2009, our experts and top management continued to maintain effective liaisons with the authorities and different organisations. Top management participated in dialogue concerning issues such as the challenges of climate change, the global financial situation and stainless steel business in the future. Our aim is to broaden the Group's comprehension of approaches to corporate responsibility by engaging actively with different companies and organisations.

Outokumpu's CEO Juha Rantanen was an active participant in energy-related discussions, especially in connection with the issue of nuclear power plants in Finland. Outokumpu supports nuclear power being one of the owners of Fennovoima which plans to build a nuclear power plant in Finland by 2020.

Outokumpu is a member of international organisations and confederations including the World Economic Forum, Eurofer, EuroInox, and the International Chromium Development Association. Outokumpu is also an associate member of the World Steel Association (previously the International Iron and Steel Institute IISI, now also known as worldsteel) and a member of the International Stainless Steel Forum (ISSF), a stainless-steel-specific suborganisation.

As a member of worldsteel, Outokumpu participates in the Climate Change Policy Group whose aim is to influence global mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions by the iron and steel industry. In this forum, members share best practices, obtain benchmark data relating to occupational safety from the Safety and Health Committee and contribute their own data to the World Steel Association Sustainability Report. TU Bergakademie Freiberg made a survey in 2009 to investigate stakeholders' perceptions on sustainability issues related to steel and the steel industry in order to help improve the sustainability and worldsteel reporting efforts. The most significant issues pointed out were climate change, efficient use of energy and water resources, protecting the environment, as well as education and recycling.

In Europe, Outokumpu is member of several federations and associations in Finland, Sweden, the UK and the Netherlands. National lobbying and cooperation organisations advance industry views and contribute to legislation in Europe through national representatives in EU governing bodies. Outokumpu is also a member of different business associations in North America.

Eurofer is a lobbying and collaboration organisation for the European iron and steel industry. Outokumpu contributes at presidency level to commercial and trade issues, in committees handling statistics, research and the environment, and in working groups whose focus is climate change and industrial benchmarking. Eurofer conveys opinions to EU governing bodies such as the European Commission, the European Parliament and the European Council, and promotes measures such as Renewal of the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control IPPC Directive, the implementation of REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals) and continuation of the European Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) after 2013.

In Finland, Outokumpu is active in corporate responsibility networks. To develop both our expertise in corporate responsibility and the Group's performance, we are an active member of the Finnish Business & Society enterprise network and CSR Europe. To combat corruption and bribery, we are a participant in Transparency Finland, a national chapter of Transparency International. Outokumpu is a signatory to the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) charter, follows and supports the United Nations Global Compact, and is a member of the UN's Global Compact Nordic Network. To demonstrate the Group's support for sustainability, Outokumpu has also signed the worldsteel Sustainable Development Charter.