When it comes to safety, Nucor, North America’s
largest steel manufacturer, has set a bold goal:
to become the world’s safest steel company.PROFILE 2021 | BEST WORKPLACES IN MANUFACTURING AND PRODUCTIONCONTENT FROM NUCORA Powerful
Partnership Driving
Powerful Results
NUCOR’S TEAMMATE-FIRST CULTURE DRIVES RESULTS
EVEN IN THE MOST CHALLENGING TIMES.HISTORICALLY, THE PERCEPTION OF
steelmaking has been that it’s an
aging industry. But today’s modern
steel industry is changing things.
Nucor, North America’s largest
steel manufacturer, is at the forefront
of this change. Recognized as a
technological, environmental, and
cultural innovator, the North Carolina–
based company’s safety leadership,
in particular, is notable. Across theindustry, the injury rate per million hours
worked decreased more than 80% from
2006 to 2019, according to the World
Steel Association, and Nucor operates
with a third of the incidents typically
reported as the industry average.
“The greatest measure of our culture
is how we care for one another,” says
Leon J. Topalian, president and CEO
of Nucor.
While physical safety has long been
a priority, recent events led Nucor to
further consider what safety means
to its 27,000 employees.
“In the midst of the pandemic and the
global demonstrations for racial justice,
we felt the need to broaden our concept
of safety,” says Topalian. “Safety cannot
be about simply avoiding illness and injury;
it must also include overall well-being and
how we treat one another. We want to
make sure every teammate feels a strong
sense of belonging and ownership.”
Nucor’s values of integrity, teamwork,
open communication, personal respon-
sibility, and delivering results have helped
foster a positive experience for its em-
ployees and a retention rate of more than
90%. In fact, 91% of employees polled say
they feel a sense of pride in the company,
thanks to the stability, family-like culture,
and freedom to make decisions that the
Nucor work environment is known for.
Policies such as a pay-for-performance
bonus system based on the amount
of quality steel and steel products
safely produced ensure Nucor remains a
place where everyone looks out for one
another and does their part to make the
company safer and more productive,
all while forging lifelong friendships and
career opportunities along the way.
“When we hire someone, we commit
to helping them succeed and to treating
them with respect at every turn,” says
Topalian. “Trust is a key principle of our
culture, and it guides our entire approach
to employee relations. Just like any family,
we have a strong stake in each other’s
success and happiness.” Q