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S O C I A L M E D I A M A N U A L 1www.voestalpine.com
SOCIAL MEDIA MANUAL

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S O C I A L M E D I A M A N U A L 3
CONTENT
Preface 4
Introduction7
The Need for a Social Media Manual 8
voestalpine and Social Media 11
Point of Entry 13
Principles for Handling Social Media 14
Summary of the Principles 21
Do you have any questions? 23
Here are some useful links 23

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Dear Employees,
Social networking sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn are now
part and parcel of both our private and our professional lives. Over time, all of
us leave a digital footprint, which is why it is all the more important to act with
deliberation online too. Our Social Media Manual is designed to give you some
practical pointers regarding the responsible use of social media networks.
Far more than one half of the world’s population now use the Internet on a
regular basis, and more than three billion people are active on social network-
ing sites. The world is growing closer by the minute, and our communications
are increasingly shifting to social media platforms. This opens up numerous
possibilities, but it also has its risks: fake news, copyright infringement, fraud,
filter bubbles—to mention but a few. Like everybody else, both voestalpine and
its employees are exposed to these phenomena as well.
It is important to bear in mind at all times that you are and remain an
­employee of voestalpine after hours and also that you are perceived as such
on social media. Even if you do not speak directly for or about the ­company,
the way you present yourself on social networks does have an impact on
voestalpine’s image. As a voestalpine employee, you are one of the company’s
most important ambassadors. Please take this into account and handle this
responsibility with care.
PREFACE

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S O C I A L M E D I A M A N U A L 5
With more than 50,000 employees, we are represented in more than 50 coun-
tries all over the world. We can master the daily challenges we face only by
communicating across the boundaries of language, culture, or religion—yet
another reason why the Group follows a zero tolerance policy when it comes
to expressions of xenophobia (hostility toward foreigners) or racism on social
media. at voestalpine, there is no room whatsoever for hate speech!
We invite you to support voestalpine in the digital realm as well. The present,
completely revised Social Media Manual—including its Nine Principles—offer
good guidance. Thank you very much!
Management Board
voestalpine AG
Head of
Group Communications

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Basics: Please handle your working hours responsibly. Surfing the
Internet and social media may not under any circumstance cut into
your daily work. General confidentiality obligations apply in our
company. It is strictly prohibited to take photographs of facilities or
work-related documents and to post or publish them!
Please understand that access to certain social media platforms is limited on
voestalpine IT devices. LinkedIn, Xing, and YouTube are available Group-wide
for work-related purposes. Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram on the other hand
are disabled. You may be permitted to use any one of these three for business
purposes in individual cases. Please contact your supervisor as necessary.

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S O C I A L M E D I A M A N U A L 7
Social media platforms are communications channels. Besides serving to
deliver, obtain, and transmit information, social media platforms also promote
equal exchanges among different people and companies. Both the reputation
and the image of the voestalpine brand are strongly determined by its own
media channels and reports in external media. The importance of the Group’s
digital presence—particularly its social media footprint—is growing by leaps
and bounds. While the omnipresence of social networks delivers major advan-
tages in terms of communication, such communication presupposes that all
participants pay special attention to it in order to ensure that it is handled ap-
propriately. All kinds of information is being disseminated at lightning speed,
not to mention that Facebook, Twitter et al. offer the possibility of interacting
directly with one another.
These platforms—currently the most well-known and largest—are listed compa-
nies that are based in the United States and are focused on generating profits.
The fact that they make communication channels available clearly follows a
business model, the individual elements of which are generally not known at
all or only a little bit. More or less hidden advertising; far-reaching cooperation
with political parties, companies, and “customers” of all kinds; as well as the
monetizing of customer data and activities definitely are some of their ­sources
of income. This means that the disclosure of personal information is tied
directly to the fact that social networks supposedly do not cost anything. The
potential to influence elections or purchasing decisions, for example, may also
be part and parcel of social networks’ business model. Each and every person
must decide for themselves whether that which they receive in return for this
“deal” is acceptable.
INTRODUCTION

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Irrespective of whether you are online professionally or as a private person:
You are and remain an employee of voestalpine even after your working hours
have ended. The boundaries between private and professional content can
easily become blurred, especially on social media. You might mention your
work environment or a colleague in a comment that you post online. You may
have specified voestalpine as your employer in your profile. Just by doing so
you already play an important role for the Group vis-à-vis the world at large.
It is important, therefore, for you to be conscious of your responsibility as an
employee of voestalpine and to reflect on your own conduct as a user of social
media. This Manual can help you conduct yourself professionally and responsi-
bly on social media and other online platforms such as discussion forums, chat
rooms, or the comment sections of online portals.
If you have any questions that this Social Media Manual fails to answer,
your colleagues in the Group Communications department (socialmedia@
voestalpine.com) as well as the MaCom managers* at the divisional level will
be happy to answer them for you.
THE NEED FOR A SOCIAL MEDIA MANUAL
* see also page 23

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S O C I A L M E D I A M A N U A L 9

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S O C I A L M E D I A M A N U A L 11
We must take changes in the use of media into account so that our own
­messages can reach both existing and new target groups. Given that ­social
media have been part and parcel of daily life for quite some time now,
­voestalpine, too, has maintained an online presence since 2009. voestalpine
treats social media as a central communications tool that serves to make
­topics and stories related to the company more tangible.
Do visit the official social media channels of voestalpine AG:
» Facebook: www.facebook.com/voestalpine
» Facebook Career: www.facebook.com/voestalpinecareer
» Instagram: www.instagram.com/voestalpine
» LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/voestalpine
» Twitter: www.twitter.com/voestalpine
» YouTube: www.youtube.com/voestalpineAG
WE WOULD HAPPY IF YOU FOLLOWED US ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS!
Individual voestalpine companies may also have their own accounts on
­social media, provided they comply with the External Digital Communications
­Manual. A few examples:
» Facebook: www.facebook.com/MetsecUK
» Instagram: www.instagram.com/voestalpine_boehler_welding
» LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/voestalpine-roll-forming-corporation
voestalpine AND SOCIAL MEDIA
If you have any questions, please contact the Group Communications department
(socialmedia@voestalpine.com) or the MaCom managers in your division.

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S O C I A L M E D I A M A N U A L 13
The following applies as a rule: The voestalpine Code of
Conduct also governs conduct on social media networks.
It serves as the basis for all work-related actions and decisions
within the voestalpine Group and provides guidelines for the
morally, ethically, and legally correct conduct of all employees
of the voestalpine Group. For further information, please see
the Compliance information in the voestalpine intranet:
voestalpine.net/compliance
You are met with expectations as soon as you share something on social
media or engage in a dialogue with other people. That is why it’s important
for you to answer the following questions for yourself before you even start:
» For what purpose do I want to use social media (privately/professionally)?
» Which applications or platforms do I want to use for what purpose?
» What kinds of information do I post online?
» What do I make public about myself and my personal life?
» How could my behavior online affect my professional life?
» What people do I want to meet online?
» What topics are of interest to me?
» How do I communicate on social media?
POINT OF ENTRY

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1. Support our company
Information and news regarding the Group is regularly posted on voestalpine’s
official social media channels that are directed at the general public. We invite
you to “like” these channels or to share them on your private channels and thus
to make them available to both your professional and your private contacts.
Doing so supports the Group’s information and communications work. Please
note that in this case, too, the relevant requirements (Code of Conduct etc.)
must be complied with.
2. Act with care on social media—even as a private person
Even if you use social media solely for private purposes, you may come
across professional contacts or you may have to answer questions about
your job. We ask that you think before you act, particularly in cases concern-
ing ­information on the voestalpine Group or your role in it as an employee.
Please take into consideration that you are an employee of the voestalpine
Group—even after hours. Act responsibly in keeping with that role.
Choose your statements wisely and treat other users respectfully, even those
who would criticize voestalpine. Please participate in discussions only when
you are familiar with the given topics. Avoid misunderstandings by ­pointing
out that you are presenting your personal opinion and that you are not
­making official statements on behalf of voestalpine.
PRINCIPLES FOR HANDLING SOCIAL MEDIA

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S O C I A L M E D I A M A N U A L 15
Please bear in mind that the Internet
never forgets anything. Whatever
you post on the Internet—whether
comments, links, texts, images, or
videos—can be found on the Internet
for a long time or forever. This applies
even after you have deleted material,
for example, because someone has
taken a screenshot of something
you posted.
Likewise, stories on Instagram or
snaps on Snapchat, which are visible
on the respective platform for no
more than 24 hours, may be down-
loaded and disseminated by other
means. Therefore, please ask yourself
ahead of time whether posting some-
thing might have negative effects for
you, your family, or your environment.
This applies all the more when the
given topics concern voestalpine or
when you post information about
other people.
3. Remember: The Internet has a memory

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4. Protect your own privacy and that of your environment
Content on social media is generally visible to all users and may also be found
through search engines unless you have activated privacy settings. This applies
also to comments and contributions that you share or forward. See the infor-
mation on individual platforms’ privacy settings for more information on the
visibility of content. As these settings are constantly being changed, we rec-
ommend that you check them regularly so that you know who can see what
information about you. A few general guidelines: Do not post any personal
information on or photographs of other people without their consent.
We recommend that you not use private social media accounts for proactive,
work-related communications. LinkedIn, the well-known and useful network
particularly for sales, may be considered an exception in this regard.
Advice on using LinkedIn for professional purposes.
A Manual was created for voestalpine employees (particularly
those working in sales) who want to use LinkedIn for profes-
sional purposes; it contains key guidelines and advice on the
professional use of LinkedIn within the voestalpine Group.
The Manual is available internally at voestalpine.net/digital-
communications.

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S O C I A L M E D I A M A N U A L 17
5. Abide by existent legal requirements and guidelines
Every photograph as well as every audio or video recording entails rights (e.g.
copyrights, rights to one’s likeness, rights of use, data privacy and protection
rights). Please make sure before you post texts, images, or (audio-)visual
material that you have the requisite rights and permissions. This is because the
same legal requirements (e.g. personality rights, copyrights) that apply in real
life apply to the Internet also.

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Note: For more detailed information on issues of IT security,
social engineering, phishing, etc. as well as detailed recommen-
dations on what to do in a given situation, please contact the
IT Security Manager of voestalpine AG and/or the division.
6. Handle your data and IT security with due care
Social engineering is understood to mean attempts to manipulate people
through digital tools with the aim of getting them to do certain things such
as divulge confidential information, buy a product, or part with their ­money.
Social engineers spy on their victim’s personal environment, present false
­identities, or exploit behavior such as obedience to authority in order to obtain
secret information. This type of cybercrime is used most often in connection
with attempts to hack others’ computer systems for the purpose of gaining
access to confidential data and information (so-called “social hacking”).
Hacker attacks, phishing emails, and social engineering pose a risk particu-
larly for those who use social media platforms and may cause a great deal
of ­damage not just for the company but for individuals also. Always handle
your data with due care; do not share any confidential information via social
media; do not click on links that are unknown to you; and watch out for fake
profiles and false senders.

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Advice: The best is to share postings related to official
­voestalpine webpages. Please abide by the principles set forth in
this Social Media Manual so that you’re always on the safe side!
7. Do not disseminate any
information internal to the
company
Please do not forget that you, as
an employee, have the obligation
to keep company matters con-
fidential. As a result, please do
not disseminate any information
internal to the company on social
media channels. In particular, this
applies as well to data concerning
employees, customers, ­suppliers,
and other business partners.
Please note that photographs of
company events or meetings are
considered internal information
and thus should not be dissemi-
nated on social media.

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8. Protect the voestalpine brand
Communications with a wide variety of internal and external stakeholders are
central to voestalpine, a technology group. The reputation of the voestalpine
brand as well as the Group’s image as an innovative and good employer
depend decisively on such communications. All of us at the voestalpine Group
work day in and day out to boost people’s confidence in our corporate activ-
ities and the people behind them as well as to further ­people’s understanding
for our concerns. Hence the use of the voestalpine brand is ­subject to specific
requirements (e.g. the corporate design); all related to ­information is available
on the brand portal.
Please contact your division’s MaCom managers ahead of time if you want
to launch a social media presence for your company, a particular department,
or a product. For more information on this topic, see item 3, “From Idea
to ­Implementation,” of the External Digital Communications Manual:
voestalpine.net/digitalcommunications
9. Zero tolerance policy for xenophobia discrimination
voestalpine pursues a zero tolerance policy with respect to xenophobia, i.e.
hostility toward foreigners. This applies particularly to social media. Among
other things, violations of the policy may have adverse consequences under
labor and criminal law.

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S O C I A L M E D I A M A N U A L 21
SUMMARY OF THE PRINCIPLES
1. Support our company
2. Act with care on social media—even as a private person
3. Remember: The Internet has a memory
4. Protect your own privacy and that of your environment
5. Abide by existent legal requirements and guidelines
6. Handle your data and IT security with due care
7. Do not disseminate any information internal to the company
8. Protect the voestalpine brand
9. Zero tolerance policy for xenophobia discrimination

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DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?
YOUR CONTACT PERSON:
Stephanie Bauer
Team Manager Online Social Media Management,
Group Communications
socialmedia@voestalpine.com
*CONTACT PERSONS AT THE DIVISIONAL LEVEL (MACOM MANAGERS):
» matthias.pastl@voestalpine.com (Steel Division)
» theresa.gasselsberger@voestalpine.com (Metal Forming Division)
» jutta.hackstock-sabitzer@voestalpine.com (Metal Engineering Division)
» ursula.mueller@voestalpine.com (High Performance Metals Division)
HERE ARE SOME USEFUL LINKS:
SOCIAL MEDIA @voestalpine:
www.voestalpine.com/socialmedia
HANDBUCH DER DIGITALEN EXTERNEN KOMMUNIKATION
[EXTERNAL DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS MANUAL]
voestalpine.net/digitalcommunications
CODE OF CONDUCT:
https://group.voestalpine.net/EN/topics/compliance/Code%20of%20
Conduct/English?d=w0874795e5b5e4e87b3a1a17c5ad8ddf7

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voestalpine AG
voestalpine-Strasse 1
4020 Linz, Austria
T. +43/50304/15-0
F. +43/50304/55-0
www.voestalpine.com