How Jean Christophe Of ArcelorMittal Construction Is Helping to Promote Sustainability and Climate Justice
An Interview With Monica Sanders
Sustainability in construction evolves quickly, owing to the fast-paced nature of the construction industry. Being proactive is crucial to keep up with changes in materials, technologies and certifications.
According to the University of Colorado, “Those who are most affected and have the fewest resources to adapt to climate change are also the least responsible for the greenhouse gas emissions — both globally and within the United States.” Promoting climate justice is an incredibly important environmental responsibility that is slowly becoming more and more recognized. In this interview series, we are talking to leaders who are helping to promote sustainability and climate justice. As part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Jean Christophe, CEO, ArcelorMittal Construction.
Jean Christophe is the CEO at ArcelorMittal Construction, and an international executive with extensive experience in strategic transformations in the Building and Steel Industries., He is passionate about creating value for the steel business through sustainable innovation, collaborative partnerships and groundbreaking R&D. His strategic and entrepreneurial acumen, industrial expertise spanning across Europe and America, and strong management discipline have been instrumental in ArcelorMittal Construction’s success in navigating evolving market dynamics and achieving sustainable growth.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about how you grew up?
I was born in Strasbourg and grew up in Europe, and have spent time spent living and working in France, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Belgium, and the UK. I met my wife in the UK, and we’ve got two children, a daughter who has just started working for Mastercard in London and my son, who is studying hotel management in Switzerland.
I have a Master’s degree in Management & Economics from EM Strasbourg Business School, and started my career in sales, before progressing to other roles and responsibilities over the years… I joined ArcelorMittal Construction back in the ’80s and have been working here for more that 30+ years now. The group has — and still does — offer me lots of opportunity satisfaction and learning experiences.
Everyone has a cataclysmic moment or marker in their life which propels them to take certain actions, a “why”. What is your why?
Off the top of my head, I can’t think of one. There’s no specific day/moment where I simply woke up and realised that this is ‘why’, but — from a work perspective — a parallel one could be my transition from large-scale manufacturing within the Arcelor Mittal Steel Group to an entrepreneurial, business-minded company. It has had a bigger impact on me than I realised. I’ve developed deep admiration for the potential of the steel industry to contribute in building a sustainable environment. Efficiency is driven via local needs and drivers, and with sustainability at its forefront, bigger and better things are possible.
Being part of the executive board of ArcelorMittal Construction, seeing our actions come to fruition, for the betterment of our stakeholders and the environment, drives my passion. Building materials are in a volatile moment, with a fragile outlook for the next decade. Decarbonization will play a major role in shaping the future of Construction and the use of building materials… Innovation and investment will not only shape the future of our industry, but I believe it will create tremendous opportunities for ArcelorMittal Construction.
You are currently leading an organization that is making a difference for our planet. Can you tell us a bit about what you and your organization are trying to change?
At ArcelorMittal Construction, we realise that as a global construction company, protecting the planet must take centre-stage. Working sustainably is at the heart of everything we do and we continually strive to improve and innovate with cutting-edge, reduced-emission products and processes. Our actions are determinant to lead our industry’s transition to decarbonised steel.
We’ve come a long way since I started the program 3 years ago, and I’m proud to say that we’re right where we want to be to be able to meet the UN’s 2050 net zero emissions goals.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company or organization?
About a year into my leadership at ArcelorMittal Construction, we were asked to be a part a project in Sri Lanka. This was back in 2016, and we were asked to make a proposal to help build about 65k houses for hundreds of thousands of people affected by the war. It was an interesting project because there were a lot of factors to be considered, not least the local customs, as well as the costs to bear logistics, etc. After a lot of back and forth and negotiations with the government, unfortunately things didn’t work out for this collaboration. It’s a shame because when I look back now and see how far we’ve come, the innovation and tech that we now have available at hand — would have definitely helped us back then…
In fact, we’re already on-hand and working on a similar project for sustainable houses in India at the moment. It feels good because there is the opportunity to use the new innovative materials we designed in places where there is a social need.
None of us can be successful without some help along the way. Did you have mentors or cheerleaders who helped you to succeed? Can you tell us a story about their influence?
I’ve had several mentors who’ve made a huge impact on my career and contributed throughout my life. I’m a big believer in this and, now bearing the baton, I have two mentees of my own through the company Mentoring Programme.
I’ve had them for over a year now, and one of the things I enjoy doing with them is helping them explore their own potential. I think its pivotal that every individual first develops the skills to explore themselves, and then challenge their potential.
I also like to support young people starting out in other industries — my nephews and nieces, and children’s friends regularly reach out!
Things have come a full circle, and I enjoy giving back the wisdom I’ve been imparted over the years.
What does climate justice mean to you? How do we operationalize it?
For me, climate justice isn’t about a few policies implemented here and there, it’s about a fundamental change in the way we do things and operational integration across all chains. It’s our responsibility, as a global steel manufacturing company, to adopt the ‘planet first’ mindset. Let me give you some examples of the many ways ArcelorMittal Construction has made this real:
- By developing and introducing new, lesser energy consuming technologies, we’ve been able to significantly reduce our CO2 footprint.
- We’ve established and maintained a decade-long partnership with Habitat for Humanity® International, a nonprofit organisation that supports low-income families in accessing healthier, safer and more sustainable homes.
- We promote diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace. Regardless of your position in ArcelorMittal Construction, everyone can play an active role in fostering diversity, equity, and inclusivity. Our future business growth and success depend upon embracing inclusion and eliminating bias and discrimination in the workplace. To make this tangible, we have improved facilities on production sites to welcome females into shop-floor jobs. We’ve developed dedicated trainings and workshops for spreading awareness on gender diversity and inclusion. A diversity council has also been established to ensure continuous improvement of D&I in the workplace.
Science is telling us that we have 7–10 years to make critical decisions about climate change. What are three things you or your organization are doing to help?
- First, we are launching a bespoke sustainability program called C5 Green Commitment to ensure we meet key milestones to decarbonise our production and products. with the program includes creating circular economies, clean energy and waste management strategies. A 5-stage plan sets out the steps we are taking, which are driven by the 17 Sustainable Development goals set out by the UN and the EU Green Deal (which includes EU climate targets and the Paris Agreement).
- Second, I’ll share the example of a recent industrial initiative, where we are launching an innovative Electron Beam solvent-free painting process in ArcelorMittal Construction’s Coil Coating plant. This new painting process, which is the result of several years of research to define, implement and develop a new way of working replaces the traditional oven painting process. It is a world first and has a significantly lower carbon footprint.
- Third — I’ll give you a commercial example. We work closely with our customers to find solutions for the construction market: modular, renovation, low carbon solutions, waste management, etc. and with our suppliers to find alternative materials and components, optimize transportation and use renewable energies, etc.
Are there three things the community, society, or politicians can do to help you in your mission?
There are more than three things! But let me share some thoughts that are top of mind for each.
- Politicians — clearly the involvement of the EU Innovation Fund in supporting some key initiatives, which aims to facilitate the achievement of global climate goals funds low-carbon technologies in fields such as steel and solar energy as with Helexio® Line, and Electron Beam solvent-free, Radcure technology that will support our objective to reduce CO2 emissions by 35% by 2030.
- The community …well they need to start to invest in and prefer sustainable alternatives that will help reverse climate change. We have a role to play here to — raising awareness being the obvious one
- And the Society needs to change the way they behave and start practicing more reutilisation of resources. For example, buildings can be designed with materials that can be restored or extracted for reuse, rather than demolished. Particularly materials made of Steel, which is as you know highly recyclable.
How would you articulate how a business can become more profitable by being more sustainable and more environmentally conscious? Can you share a story or example?
Sustainability and profits go hand in hand. You can’t expect to run a world class business without investing in sustainability. More and more customers are looking for sustainable solutions which require heavy investments and for which customers are ready to pay a premium. We listen to our customers and the market and are preparing for the future — Indeed, we are investing heavily in new technologies and production processes to support our plants, in new product development for a low carbon offer with a minimum CO2 impact aligned with the circular economy (reuse, recycle, limitation of natural resource, etc). We are also investing in the digitalisation of our services, which will enable traceability of our products, and BIM or environmental product declarations.
Last but not least, we are developing products and services to tackle the massive energy-driven renovation construction market through the development of modular and industrialised solutions. It will also help us meet future market trends and needs like off-site constructions, and reduced disturbance on occupied buildings.
This is the signature question we ask in most of our interviews. What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started promoting sustainability and climate justice” and why? Please share a story or example for each.
1. Sustainability in construction evolves quickly, owing to the fast-paced nature of the construction industry. Being proactive is crucial to keep up with changes in materials, technologies and certifications.
2. Promoting sustainability requires challenging the status quo, engaging in open conversations and convincing across the chain of management to adopt a certain policy or produce a specific product. This needs a critical mindset shift, which is not always easy.
3. Recognising the scope and investment required for sustainability initiatives is equally important. It requires comprehensive planning, budgeting and integration across the company.
4. Sustainability is not one big thing or one big project that the company can take care of. It’s made up of thousands of small initiatives that get everyone in the company involved and climate conscious. At ArcelorMittal Construction, we’ve introduced the Ambassador Programme through which we create a culture of sustainability and empower our employees to champion through climate change.
5. Understanding local regulations and their impact on the company and its initiatives is crucial. It’s also important to consider them with a holistic view to be able to make pragmatic decisions.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
Elon Musk, for sure. He’s a risk-taker and has managed a lot of breakthroughs in segments that were unimaginable. I believe that the levels of difficulty pertaining to his segment, and the external pressure he faces are acting as a super stimulator for him to do what he does.
Another person I’d love to meet over lunch is David Attenborough. My wife and my son studied biology and ecology so at home we have all read his books and watched his films. His passion for nature and what he’s managed to give to us all is amazing — I’m a big fan.
How can our readers continue to follow your work online?
https://construction.arcelormittal.com/en and through our social media accounts
This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!
About the Interviewer: Monica Sanders JD, LL.M, is the founder of “The Undivide Project”, an organization dedicated to creating climate resilience in underserved communities using good tech and the power of the Internet. She holds faculty roles at the Georgetown University Law Center and the Tulane University Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy. Professor Sanders also serves on several UN agency working groups. As an attorney, Monica has held senior roles in all three branches of government, private industry, and nonprofits. In her previous life, she was a journalist for seven years and the recipient of several awards, including an Emmy. Now the New Orleans native spends her time in solidarity with and championing change for those on the frontlines of climate change and digital divestment. Learn more about how to join her at: www.theundivideproject.org.
How Jean Christophe Of ArcelorMittal Construction Is Helping to Promote Sustainability and Climate… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.