Press release
Ljubljana, 19 June 2023 – Last Sunday in Jesenice, in front of the Podmežakla Sports Hall, the 8th SIJ Day took place – a gathering of all SIJ Group employees, students, and scholarship holders along with their partners and children. An important part of the event was the handing out of awards and prizes to innovators, top employees, and those celebrating a career anniversary.
The traditional meeting brought together approximately 3,000 employees, their families, and scholarship recipients for music, entertainment, and a football tournament. As stated by the Senior Vice President of the SIJ Group, Tibor Šimonka, the event encourages relaxed socialising and networking among workers from different locations – Ravne na Koroškem, Jesenice, and Ljubljana: “3,000 of us gathered this year in Jesenice, just a few kilometres away from Triglav National Park, the largest protected nature area in Slovenia.” In the SIJ Group, we have always been connected to nature. Our two steelworks rank among the most modern recycling steelworks in Europe. Our specific CO₂ emissions are already lower than the global average. “With the recent adoption of the Decarbonisation Plan, we have set ourselves a new ambitious goal to HALVE our specific emissions by 2030 compared to 2020. With our steels and steel products, we are a reliable partner in Europe's green breakthrough,” he said, reaffirming the group’s commitment.
On the 8th SIJ Day in Jesenice, representatives of the SIJ Group management board and directors of the individual companies presented awards to the best innovators, the highest achieving employees, and employees celebrating their jubilees. These awards let employees know that they all contribute to the success of the company, which had a record year last year and which makes substantial investments in the local area. The strong bond with the local community was also highlighted in the opening address by the Mayor of Jesenice, Peter Bohinec.
The celebration began in the morning with a football tournament for the workers of the individual companies within the SIJ Group. Other sporting, recreational, and social activities also took place as part of the celebration. This year, it was marked by the topic of sustainability, with a special focus on an indigenous species of bee, the Carniolan honey bee, which the children made paper models of and painted on canvas. To help it thrive, employees of the SIJ Group planted bee-friendly plants and installed a new beehive on the recent Community Partnership Day. An indispensable part of the accompanying programme is also a mini-Olympics for young children in cooperation with the Olympic Committee of Slovenia, whose long-term sponsor is the SIJ Group. The audience was also entertained by the comedian Perica Jerkovič, and the band Victory with singer Andreja Sonc provided a great atmosphere on the dance floor.
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SIJ – Slovenian Steel Group is one of Europe's leading producers of stainless steel and special steels. We are committed to global and European climate goals and operate in line with circular economy principles. With our steel and steel products, we are the right partner for facilitating the green transition in Europe. We aim to confirm our sustainability credentials by achieving certification to the stringent ResponsibleSteel standard by the end of 2023. This will position us as one of the world's most responsible and sustainable steel producers. Our two largest companies are modern recycling steelworks, and our steel is recycled because it is made from steel scrap. With more than 3,800 employees, we are one of the largest employers in Slovenia and a pillar of the Slovenian steel sector. We are one of Slovenia's leading exporters. About 85% of our revenue is generated in foreign markets.
SIJ – Slovenska industrija jekla, d.d.
Katja Krumpak
Corporate Communications
Phone: +386 1 242 98 59
Mobile: +386 41 814 041
E-mail: katja.krumpak@sij.si
