Sidenor Corporate Report 2019

9 Innovation for further growth Each year, we make significant investments in innovation, which is one of the pillars of our activity. Our R&D centre, one of the largest in the European steel sector, enables us to develop new technologies and products which help us meet the needs of our customers. Along the same lines, we are transforming the Group so as to become a reference with regard to Industry 4.0, improving and digitising our production processes for better efficiency, safety and quality in order to become increasingly competitive. In a sustainable way We manage all our activities according to the principles of circular economy, with a view to minimizing the resources used and reducing our emissions. Thus, we are constantly seeking intelligent alternatives to reduce, reuse and valorise the waste generated during steel production. Such a philosophy enables us to maintain a socially responsible behaviour towards our investors, suppliers, customers, as well as the society and communities in which we develop our activities. At Sidenor, we are building, in collaboration with all actors of our value chain, a path towards achieving business excellence in order to continue growing in a sustainable way and secure the future of the Group. Sidenor and Sustainable Development Goals The SDGs are a universal call on governments, society and companies to endorse compliance with the United Nations 2030 Agenda. At Sidenor, we adhere to this initiative by fostering these objectives, notably: the figures for 2018 refer, for the entire year, to the consolidated Group. • the other ratios for 2019 (environment, people, society, …) were calculated with reference to the consolidated Group from January to October, sale date of Sidenor Forgings & Castings, and without Sidenor Forgings & Castings in November and December, while the figures for 2018 refer to the consolidated Group throughout the entire year.