CLEVELAND, Sept. 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. (NYSE: CLF) announced the release of its 2013 sustainability report, entitled "Focused. Aligned. Disciplined." The sustainability report is a comprehensive look at Cliffs' global operations and outlines the Company's progress in key areas of its sustainability strategy.

Cliffs developed the report to be in accordance with the widely-used Global Reporting Initiative's (GRI) comprehensive sustainability report framework. The GRI framework encourages greater transparency from organizations through standardized principles and indicators for tracking and reporting on economic, environmental and social performance. 

The Company stated that it continued to build upon a strong foundation of sustainability by developing its enterprise-wide 2014-2016 Sustainability Strategy which is aligned with its business priorities and is integrated with its operational and functional groups.

The following sustainability accomplishments are highlighted from the 2013 report:

• Recording no work related fatalities at any of Cliffs' operations and continuing to improve safety management processes.
• Progressing towards the goal of zero incidents and reducing the number of environmental incidents by more than 75% since the start of 2012.
• Investing more than $13 million in energy efficiency projects, which will significantly reduce the Company's energy related costs and the estimated reduction in its annual greenhouse gas emissions by more than 45,000 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide.
• Continuing to improve the quality related performance by reducing the frequency of non-conforming cargoes for the Company's North American Iron Ore operations.

Cliffs online report is accessible in the "Sustainable Development" section of the Company's corporate website, www.cliffsnr.com.  A printable PDF version of the summary report is also available.

About Cliffs Natural Resources Inc.
Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. is a leading mining and natural resources company. The Company is a major iron ore producer in the Great Lakes region and a significant producer of high-and low-volatile metallurgical coal in the U.S.  Additionally, Cliffs operates iron ore mines in Eastern Canada and an iron mining complex in Western Australia. Driven by the core values of social, environmental and capital stewardship, Cliffs' employees endeavor to provide all stakeholders operating and financial transparency. News releases and other information on the Company are available at: http://www.cliffsnaturalresources.com.

Logo - https://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101104/CLIFFSLOGO

SOURCE Cliffs Natural Resources Inc.