Issues 2009 Corporate Sustainability Report

bwire






CLEVELAND (Business Wire) -- Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. (NYSE: CLF) (Paris: CLF) today
announced the release of its second Corporate Sustainability Report, Committed
to the Global Community. The Report is a comprehensive look at
Cliffs' business and its impact on the local communities in which it
operates. The Report follows the G3 guidelines of the Global Reporting
Initiative (GRI) and focuses on four areas of corporate responsibility:
corporate governance, environment, community and economic value.




The Cliffs Corporate Sustainability Report received third-party
verification, raising the reporting level from a B to a B+. The
reporting level identifies which elements of the framework have been
applied in preparation of a report. In the 2009 Report, Cliffs included
additional indicators on human rights, management approach and
environment.




The Cliffs Corporate Sustainability Report features sustainability
accomplishments, such as:



Implemented a Human Rights Policy across the organization.


An enhanced Safety Strategy offering additional structure and
accountability was implemented for the North American Business Unit.
As a result, the operations experienced a 25 percent reduction in the
Total Reportable Incident Rate in 2009.


Adopting a transparent approach to reporting and reducing GHG
emissions, Cliffs Greenhouse Gas Strategic Plan was implemented to
address business risks and opportunities.


Being named a finalist for the 2009 Golden Gecko Award in Western
Australia for environmental excellence and managing biodiversity.


Provided almost US$2.8 million to community investment programs.


Developed a supplier policy to evaluate supplier practices related to
environment, financial sustainability, human rights, diversity,
community-related and ethics and business conduct.





"Cliffs has been conducting business as a responsible corporate citizen
in communities in which we operate for more than 160 years," said Kelly
Tompkins, executive vice president, legal, government affairs and
sustainability of Cliffs. "The Company's annual sustainability report
documents and communicates to the myriad of our stakeholders the
impacts, efforts, achievements and challenges of our operations in a
transparent manner."




Mr. Tompkins added that: "While the entire Cliffs organization should be
proud of these accomplishments, sustainability is an ongoing journey
that must be marked by continuous improvement along the way."




In an annual independent Institutional Shareholders Services survey
regarding ethical corporate governance, Cliffs outperformed 96 percent
of the materials companies in the Standard & Poor's (S&P) market
indices. Cliffs will continue to develop its sustainability strategy and
reporting capabilities. The Company is committed to developing
transparency in reporting and improving the quality and quantity of the
data reported.




To access Cliffs' 2009 Sustainability Report in its entirety, please
visit the Sustainable Development section of the Company's website:
please click on the link below:





and fastest growing steel markets.




News releases and other information on the Company are available on the
Internet at:




>www.cliffsnaturalresources.com/Investors/Pages/default.aspx?b=1041&1=1










Cliffs Natural Resources Inc.GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS AND INVESTOR
RELATIONS CONTACTS:Steve Baisden, 216-694-5280Sr.
Director, Investor Relations and CommunicationsorJessica
Moran, 216-694-6532Manager, Investor RelationsorPatricia
Persico, 216-694-5316Sr. Manager, Media Relations and Marketing
Communications