Community Engagement

Managing Community Engagement at U. S. Steel
U. S. Steel is passionate about strengthening the communities we call home. From our employees’ volunteer work to our corporate contributions, from partnering with local schools and awarding scholarships to advancing education, our volunteering and philanthropic efforts are an embodiment of our Culture of Caring. 
Community Advisory Panel
U. S. Steel’s Community Advisory Panel (CAP) was created in 2019, representing the Clairton, Edgar Thomson and Irvin communities in Pennsylvania. In 2024, CAPs were established in the Minntac and Keetac communities in Minnesota. The purpose of CAP, which meets on a quarterly basis, is to proactively communicate with the public to foster a collaborative relationship and to facilitate an understanding of community expectations and concerns. Through CAP, U. S. Steel can provide a forum for continued community and citizen outreach to build relationships; produce positive communications about the safety of our operations and the thoroughness of our environmental programs; engage with influential and visible members of the communities in which we operate; and ensure continued political engagement and collaboration. 
Contributions
In 2024, U. S. Steel directed $7.7 million in donations to over 150 organizations, events and programs, through our Community Engagement Committee (CEC). This amount included $2.7 million in donations provided by U. S. Steel Košice (USSK) for a variety of community initiatives at its facility. We want to keep expanding our presence and increasing the good we can do in our workplace communities. Community contributions are expected to continue to align with our 2024 spend 
Pedal to the Metal

We sponsored the 31st annual PedalPGH event, in
which 3,000 cyclists raised $275,000 for BikePGH’s advocacy for biking and walking in Pittsburgh.

Steelers STEM

U. S. Steel employees visited South Allegheny Middle School for “Steelers STEM,” the Pittsburgh Steelers program to promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.

Life Savers

Donors at a blood drive at the Mon Valley Works Irvin Plant were thanked by machine-shop technician Rudy Sanetta, who owes his life in part to previous drives. 

Buddy Backpacks

Employees at Minnesota Ore Operations filled school
backpacks with nearly 1,000 food kits to support the United Way Buddy Backpack Program.

Remembering Veterans

Volunteers from Mon Valley Works, Great Lakes Works
and Granite City Works laid wreaths at the graves of military veterans for the Wreaths Across America initiative.

Volunteer of the year - Jeremiah North
Jeremiah North, Utility Technician at Great Lakes Works, was named the 2024 Volunteer of the Year. Jeremiah volunteered 858 hours of his time in 2024 in various community services, most of it through his service as President of the Flat Rock, Michigan, Rotary Club, which operates under Rotary International’s mission to “provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill and peace through our fellowship of business, professional and community leaders.” 
 
“I’m humbled and honored by this award, and to be named among so many impactful volunteers. I really feel it’s important to give back, and I’m glad U. S. Steel is a partner in supporting our local communities.” 
 
– Jeremiah North, Utility Technician 

Employee Volunteerism

At U. S. Steel, we believe it is important to recognize our employees’ contributions and the impact they are making in their communities. In 2021, U. S. Steel established the United by Service award on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, to honor his legacy. Each year, we choose volunteers as Service Champions and honor one as Volunteer of the Year. Each Service Champion receives $5,000 toward their cause and the Volunteer of the Year receives $15,000. 

Reading Champions
To foster a love for reading and increase reading scores in our home region, U. S. Steel partnered with the Penguins Foundation to develop the Reading Champions program in 2021 to encourage third grade students to be champions of reading. By the end of 2024, 1,140 books had been donated, and 32 classrooms had launched Reading Champions programs across the Pittsburgh region, including the Clairton, Braddock Propel Charter, Duquesne, Penn Hills, Pittsburgh Public School — Morror, South Allegheny, West Mifflin, Wilkinsburg and Woodland Hills school districts. So far there are over 1,150 Reading Champion students in the program, and they’ve collectively spent over 1 million minutes reading — including 68,469 minutes from the students in Ms. Terzich’s class at Clara Barton Elementary School, who were our 2024 top Reading Champions. To prepare for another season of engaging students and incentivizing reading, U. S. Steel employees in 2024 wrote encouraging messages in books donated to over 30 classrooms in the Mon Valley area. And in October, students in the South Allegheny School District in Pennsylvania who embraced reading were rewarded through a vending machine that dispensed an unusual treat: books. Book vending machines were put in district schools as part of the Reading Champions program, which provides a variety of rewards to students for participating. 
 
We’re pleased to have expanded the Reading Champions program in 2024 to a total of nine schools in Pittsburgh’s Mon Valley communities and within the Pittsburgh Public School District, as well as an expansion pilot to Rock Ridge School District’s North Star Elementary School in northern Minnesota near our Minnesota Ore Operations. 

Doing more for Community

Fairfield Tubular Steel Operations tour

Five University of Alabama engineering students visited our Fairfield Tubular and Tubular Steel Operations facilities in April 2024, gaining first hand insights into our processes and technologies. The visit included a lunch and Q&A session with plant managers and other leaders from the facilities, giving the students a chance to ask about job opportunities and new technologies such as AI. 

Indiana University Northwest Urban Medicine Program

A group of medical students from Indiana University Northwest were taken on a unique guided tour of Gary Works in August 2024 by one of its managers. The students are part of the university’s Urban Medicine Program, which focuses on how to support the needs of inner-city residents. The manager, Tyrell Anderson, designed the tour to provide the students with highlights of Gary’s rich history, cultural landmarks, environmental challenges and differing neighborhood characteristics, as well as to provide a deeper understanding of the community’s unique healthcare needs. Anderson said he also wanted the students to view Gary as a place where they can thrive both professionally and personally. 

Take the plunge and make a splash

The Polar Plunge is one of Special Olympics Pennsylvania’s largest annual fund raisers and has grown in both popularity and dollars raised every year since it began 15 years ago, topping $1 million in 2024. Members of U. S. Steel’s Commercial team elected to join the fun by raising nearly $7,000 in charitable donations.

Spreading holiday cheer

In December 2024, U. S. Steel employees volunteered at multiple local toy drive events, including the Braddock Toy Drive and annual Marine Toys for Tots Foundation donation drive. 

Paws of Pittsburgh

U. S. Steel employees in the Pittsburgh area lent a helping hand to the Washington Area Humane Society (WAHS) for the second summer in a row. WAHS provides shelter, safety and care for the abandoned and abused animals of Washington County, Pennsylvania, with the goal of placing them in forever homes. Volunteers spread mulch, weeded, power-washed, and visited with some adoptable animals. 

Employee Spotlight – Matt Nee
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Pittsburgh (BBBSPGH) recently recognized both U. S. Steel and our own Matt Nee, General Manager of Global Sales & Operations Planning, for the longstanding commitments both have made to the organization. U. S. Steel was named an “Outstanding Corporate Partner,” and Matt was honored as the “Champion” of the relationship. The honors were presented during BBBSPGH’s “Big Bash” event, its largest annual fundraiser. 
Matt and his wife, Lauren, have served on the host committee for the Big Bash since 2019, and Matt has worked to elevate BBBS’s profile at U. S. Steel in locations where both operate. Over the past two years, U. S. Steel and BBBS have collaborated on several initiatives benefiting local communities. The impact has been significant, and the partnership continues to make a difference. 
 
“I had done some volunteer work with BBBS when I was in college. As I got to understand their mission and work with the team in Greater Pittsburgh, I knew taking on a role on the event host committee was something I had to do. I’ve got a passion for trying to help support disadvantaged young people and expose them to opportunities that can help them recognize that if they believe in themselves, they can achieve anything.” – Matt Nee, General Manager of Global Sales & Operations Planning 

Big River Steel Works

FedEx St. Jude Championship

For the second year in a row, Big River Steel Works was proud to be the military sponsor of the recent FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis, Tennessee. We were honored to offer complimentary grounds tickets for each day of the PGA tournament to our brave active duty service members and veterans. It was a privilege to host these c ourageous men and women in the Patriots’ Outpost, a venue dedicated exclusively for the military, providing shaded seating and complimentary drinks and snacks. 

BRS Cares

Since 2020, BRS Cares has partnered with Walmart to provide Thanksgiving meals for local families in need. Through the 2024 “Giving Thanks by Giving Meals” event, 200 families were given all the items necessary to create a traditional Thanksgiving meal. 

Supporting Local Libraries

In April 2024, Big River Steel Works visited local libraries and grade schools with donations of coloring books, crayons and plantable bookmarks containing wildflower seeds. The made-in-USA bookmarks were supplied by Eco Promotions, who offset our purchase with tree plantings. Our purchases resulted in the planting of five trees. 

Summer Camps

Since 2022, Big River Steel Works, in partnership with Arkansas Northeastern College, has proudly sponsored summer camps for the children of Mississippi County, Arkansas. These camps offer a wide range of activities for beginners in golf, music, cooking, cake decorating and even robotics

Christmas Toy Donations

In 2024, BRS Cares once again had the privilege of participating in the Junior Auxiliary of South Mississippi County’s Angel Tree Project. The program works closely with schools in South Mississippi County to identify children whose families could use extra support in making their Christmas wishes come true. Thanks to the generosity of our Big River Steel Works team, we were able to provide a variety of gifts, including bikes, dolls, clothing, shoes and gaming accessories. 
 
“This season, let’s remember the true spirit of Christmas — giving. Whether it’s volunteering, donating to a cause or simply spreading kindness, every small act can make a big difference.” – Lenore Trammell, Chief Administrative Officer, Chief Compliance Officer and General Counsel at Big River Steel Works 

USSK

Košice Peace Marathon

Every year, a group of USSK volunteers manages the Anička refreshment station during the Košice International Peace Marathon. This marathon is the oldest annual marathon in Europe, with a rich worldwide tradition. In 2024, 26 USSK volunteers provided refreshments to almost 13,000 runners, serving as many as 250 runners per minute. 

Firewood Donations

For the past 12 years, USSK has been donating waste firewood to socially disadvantaged communities in surrounding municipalities and to the non-profit organization Oáza — nádej pre nový život, which shelters 250–350 individuals in challenging life situations. The donated firewood, which mostly comes from discarded pallets, totaled over 100 tons in 2024.