US award for ArcelorMittal

Recognising its contribution to environment protection through energy efficiency, the US government has selected Indian billionaire Lakshmi Mittal-led ArcelorMittal for its Energy Star Partner of the Year award.

ArcelorMittal will be the first-ever steel company to get Energy Star award, while another Indian-run company PepsiCo, the global beverage giant led by Chennai-born Indra Nooyi, was conferred this honour in 2007.

The past Energy Star award recipients also include auto giants Ford and Toyota, pharmaceuticals major Merck, fast food chain McDonald's, American retail major JC Penney and defense equipments maker Raytheon.

ArcelorMittal will be presented the award by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Washington on April 1.

The Energy Star Partner of the Year for Energy Management award is given by the EPA and the US Department of Energy for companies making outstanding contributions to protecting the environment and reducing greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency.

ArcelorMittal said in a statement that in late 2005 it was challenged to cut energy intensity by six per cent over a three-year period, using 2005 as the baseline. This equates to a reduction of $ 192 million in energy costs by 2009.

ArcelorMittal Energy Committee was established in late 2005 with representatives from every US facility and each facility was responsible for setting energy reduction goals at their respective plants.

In January 2006, it launched a three-year ArcelorMittal Energy Reduction Initiative that provided an energy plan for the immediate future aiming to cut ArcelorMittal's energy and carbon intensity and, at the same time, improve its bottom line.

"ArcelorMittal's commitment to energy reduction is viewed as an ongoing process and does not end after year three or when reduction goals are achieved. This initiative is a company-wide, continuous commitment to energy reduction and sustainability," ArcelorMittal USA's President and CEO Mike Rippey said.

"ArcelorMittal's leadership in managing their energy use is a model for other businesses looking for ways to protect the environment," a senior EPA official said.

ArcelorMittal said it has also worked hard to spread the word about energy conservation and the Energy Star programme to its employees, families, suppliers and end users, even the general public. Since 2006, ArcelorMittal has distributed more than 20,000 compact fluorescent light bulbs to its employees in the US as well as community and business leaders.

For 2006-2007, ArcelorMittal (then Mittal Steel) was ranked as one of the top 10 companies in the nation to collect the most pledges for the Energy Star's 'Change a Light' pledge campaign.

EPA introduced the Energy Star programme way back in 1992 as a voluntary market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through increased energy efficiency.

Currently, in partnership with Department of Energy, the programme offers businesses and consumers energy-efficient solutions to save energy, money and help protect the environment for future generations.