Gonvarri Steel Services publishes its fourth Sustainability Report

• The Company publishes its fourth Sustainability Report. The structure and scope of this exercise is adapted to the new reference guide of Global Reporting Initiative in its G4 version.

• In the new Strategic Plan of Gonvarri Steel Services 2016-18, Sustainability is integrated transversally along with three more corporate values: People, Efficiency and Innovation.

• The Board of Directors approved the “Sustainability Policy”, that reflects the common commitments for all the professionals in every country where it operates.

• In 2015, the worldwide presence of the Company increases with two new facilities in Central Europe and the expansion of Gonvarri Czech.

• In reference to the creation of shared value, it outstands the “Emotional Driving” project, which finished its expansion in every factory in Spain and that during 2016, continuous its international expansion in countries as Germany and Portugal.

Madrid, 2016, October 13th. Gonvarri Steel Services (GSS) publishes its fourth Sustainability Report aiming to submit, in a balanced and transparent way, the financial, environmental and social results to its stakeholders.

This new Report was developed according to the Global Reporting Initiative standards in its G4 version, which includes in greater depth a Materiality Study.

The result of the “material aspects” for the consulted stakeholders was:

• In the “Economic dimension”: the aspects related to development and financial strength, risks, ethics and compliance, technology and innovation and clients and supply chain.
• In the “Social dimension”, the matters related to attraction and retaining of talent, the working conditions and dialogue with employees, health and safety, and road safety and the impact in local communities.

• In the “Environmental dimension”, the matters related to raw materials consumption (steel) and climate change.

Gonvarri Steel Services has six business lines: automobile, mecano, road steel, energy, storage and industry. In 2015, the Company increased its international presence with two new facilities in Central Europe, the expansion of Gonvarri Czech and the joint venture with its Chinese partner, in order to initiate the construction of four new factories.

Sustainability joins the Strategic Plan of Gonvarri Steel Services 2016-18, as one of its main axes: People, Efficiency, Innovation and Sustainability. Furthermore, the Board of Directors approved the “Sustainability Policy”, that reflects the common commitments for all the professionals in every country where it operates, and renewed the complying commitment of the principles of the United Nations Global Compact, which is adhered to.

Concerning the different matters gathered in the Report, stand out:

• It has a team of 2,930 professionals of different nationalities, spread among the 33 facilities in Spain, Argentina, Brazil, Portugal, Germany, Colombia, USA, México, Poland, UK, Turkey, Russia and Czech Republic. Committed to quality jobs, 91.2% of its workforce has an indefinite contract and 421 new professionals joined the company.

• Promotes training as key aspect to preserve and encourage talent. In 2015, 87,625 hours of training were taught (an average of 29.9 hours per employee).

• In 2015, it developed a homogenous and global “Work environment survey” for the professionals of most of the working centers (12 countries and 26 facilities), with a 68% of participation, being Health and Safety and working conditions the best-rated points.

• In the R&D&I field, there are included a number of projects focused on three guidelines:
• Road Safety (Road Steel division)
• New safer and lighter materials, which contribute to reduce CO2 emissions (Automotive division).
• Design and construction of lighter solar structures (Solar Steel division).

• Likewise, Gonvarri Steel Services contributes to generate wealth in those communities where it is established. In 2015, its distributed economic value amounts to 2,272 million Euros including primarily: the employment that creates and maintains with 94.2 million Euros aimed to local employment (wages and other social benefits), purchases to local suppliers with 1,608 million Euros and the taxes payment with 42.4 million Euros.

• Finally, within the road safety strategy, stands out the “Emotional Driving” project aiming to encourage road safety in a positive way. Its launch has concluded in all the facilities in Spain and in 2016 has initiated its international expansion.

**To view the Sustainability Report 2015 of Gonvarri Steel Industries, click here.