ArcelorMittal Finds Steel Resolve to Support Youth Ventures

A new partnership between the business and social worlds is set to make (positive) waves in the youth entrepreneurship movement.

ArcelorMittal, the world's leading steel and mining company with a presence in more than 60 countries, has joined forces with Ashoka to support a groundswell of interest in the needs of tomorrow’s most innovative young leaders.

Felicidad Cristobal, the ArcelorMittal Foundation’s managing director, and Ashoka’s Bill Drayton today signed a partnership to back Ashoka’s Youth Venture initiative in Canada, Mexico, South Africa, and the United States.

For half a decade, the ArcelorMittal Foundation has supported social projects and programs that maximize the potential of communities around the world, particularly in education, health, and economic development.

“We started our collaboration with Ashoka in Argentina in 2007 and decided to extend this partnership due to its great success,” Cristobal said.

Youth Venture, Ashoka’s program creating and supporting a global movement of young changemakers, will provide participants with financing support and resources to scale-up their initiatives, while also building fundamental leadership skills such as emotional intelligence and empathy.

“Bill Drayton says that ‘everyone is capable of changing the world’ and we fully agree with this idea,” Cristobal said. “We are extremely glad to collaborate in promoting the development of young talent. It is also important to underline that this program will give ArcelorMittal employees the chance to be involved in a Foundation project, sharing their expertise with youngsters who dream of a better world.”