Landmark agreements link majority of world’s steel production under global and regional standards for low-emission steel

Amid industry calls for greater consistency and clarity across carbon standards at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, ResponsibleSteel announces partnerships with two standards – Europe’s Low Emission Steel Standard (LESS) and China’s Low-carbon Emission Steel Standard (C2F Steel) – to advance global comparability and trade in low-emission and near-zero steel, covering some 60%* of the world’s steel production.

• ResponsibleSteel’s landmark agreements with Chinese and European steel standards bodies extend a common approach to GHG measurement and classification to cover over half of global steel production.
• These partnerships connect major producers, consumers, and innovators across the global steel value chain under interoperable definitions of low-emission steel, accelerating the sector’s path towards deep decarbonisation.
• By aligning some of the world’s largest steel industries, the agreements pave the way for greater investment, green procurement, technology exchange, and international collaboration in sustainable steelmaking.

The two agreements are agreed between ResponsibleSteel and the China Iron and Steel Association (CISA), and between ResponsibleSteel and the Brussels-based Low Emission Steel Standard organisation (LESS aisbl). Together, membership of the three organisations represents around 60% of the world’s steel production.

With steel one of the most significant industrial contributors to climate change, accounting for around 7-9% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the agreements strengthen efforts to facilitate trade and investment in decarbonised steel while ensuring consistency and credibility in sustainability standards worldwide.

Achieving meaningful progress in decarbonisation requires collaboration across borders and standards. Crucially, today’s agreements send a strong signal to governments globally of the far-reaching consensus around the ‘scrap-variable’ approach to low-emission steel classification, which acknowledges that the availability of recyclable steel will be limited for a considerable time to come and is designed to drive decarbonisation across all technologies.

Such an approach, already recognised by the G7 and incorporated into international standards, is a practical, science-based solution that supports the global transition to low-emission steel without compromising integrity. It:

• Prevents fruitless competition for a limited scrap supply.
• Incentivises decarbonisation across all steel production routes.
• Promotes technology-neutral solutions in line with international trade rules and helps to reduce creating unnecessary barriers to trade.

ResponsibleSteel’s GHG accounting methodology and classification system are part of its broad ESG spectrum ‘International Production Standard’, developed over several years in a transparent multistakeholder process through input from over 70 business and civil society organisations and 180 individuals – including steelmakers with blast furnace (BF) and electric arc furnace (EAF) operations.

Today, 90 ResponsibleSteel certificates have been achieved around the world, and the organisation remains the only multistakeholder standard for broad-spectrum steel sustainability.

"ResponsibleSteel is building a global framework to enable comparability to underpin a global market in low-emission steel. A majority of the world’s steel production capacity now has the potential to use mechanisms for equivalency to define their low-emission and near-zero emission steel. These agreements pave the way to the first real examples of interoperability between standards – a breakthrough development which will provide clarity for steel producers, buyers, investors and policymakers."

- Annie Heaton, CEO, ResponsibleSteel

At the heart of the agreements is ResponsibleSteel’s ‘Framework for Credible Interoperability,’ which sets out principles to enable carbon metrics to be translated between standards to support credible GHG claims. Using this framework, ResponsibleSteel will work with the two organisations to develop conversion tools to enable stakeholders to claim equivalency of their decarbonisation progress under different schemes.

"Collaboration is essential for harmonising greenhouse-gas-emission standards and accelerating the decarbonisation of the steel industry. This agreement represents a landmark step toward that goal. ClSA's decision to cooperate with ResponsibleSteel is attributed to our mutual adherence to steel-standard principles, the proven results both organisations have achieved in this field, and our shared commitment to credible, science-based solutions. We are looking forward to working closely with ResponsibleSteel to advance the objectives of this agreement."

- Jiang Wei, Chair, China Iron and Steel Association (CISA)

"LESS is proud to partner with ResponsibleSteel on this groundbreaking initiative. Our shared commitment to credible, science-based solutions will bring much-needed clarity to the comparison of GHG emissions and transparency about decarbonisation progress in steel production. This agreement is a critical step toward building global markets for low-emission steel and accelerating the industry’s transition to net zero."

- Carmen Ostwald, Secretary General, LESS aisbl

This work also exemplifies the Steel Standards Principles (SSPs), launched at COP28 to foster alignment among greenhouse gas standards. Since then, ResponsibleSteel has worked closely with over 60 SSP signatories, playing a leading role in advancing interoperability.

"As two dominant steel-producing regions, China and Europe have a vital role to play in driving steel industry decarbonisation. ResponsibleSteel is proud to play its part as the global, multistakeholder broker using its trusted standard to help them achieve genuine decarbonisation of their steel industries."

- Gerry Tidd, Chair, ResponsibleSteel Board of Directors

A globally interoperable system is essential to enable markets for low-emission steel to thrive. Both agreements pave the way to the creation of credible interoperability mechanisms between the greenhouse gas metrics of ResponsibleSteel – the world’s leading full-spectrum sustainability standard for steel – and each regional standard.

For more information, contact:

Savannah Hayes, Communications Manager, communications@responsiblesteel.org, +44 7588 785909

*Estimate based on 2024 World Steel Association total crude steel production against production of ResponsibleSteel member sites with certification, an estimated average capacity utilisation rate among non-certified ResponsibleSteel member sites and LESS members, and an assumption that CISA’s members make up 90% of Chinese steel production.

Supporting quotes

“ArcelorMittal strongly supports the collaborative effort between ResponsibleSteel, CISA, and LESS to advance interoperability among emerging standards. Establishing a unified framework for international reference standards is essential to accelerate the decarbonisation of the steel industry and ensure transparency and credibility across global markets. We believe this initiative will foster trust, drive innovation, and enable the industry to meet its climate commitments with consistency and rigor." - Philippe Aubron, Head of Global Automotive, ArcelorMittal

"The signing of this memorandum of cooperation marks an important milestone for China's steel industry in actively practicing green development principles and deeply integrating into global low-carbon emission governance. We will seize this opportunity to jointly promote the international mutual recognition of low-carbon emission steel standards, build a green supply chain system, and contribute Chinese wisdom and strength to the low-carbon transformation of the global steel industry." - Wang Qiangmin, Chief Carbon Neutrality Representative, China Baowu Steel Group

“This partnership is a game-changer for our industry. By aligning our standards, we are not only strengthening LESS and ResponsibleSteel but also shaping a global consensus on what defines low-emission steel. ArcelorMittal is proud to support this initiative, which will accelerate our collective journey toward a sustainable steel industry." - Frederik Van de Velde, CEO, ArcelorMittal Belgium

"Harmonised standards are the backbone of meaningful change in steel production. This tool will empower companies to adopt sustainable practices with confidence while giving customers the transparency they need to make informed decisions. Mutual recognition between standards is key to building trust in the marketplace." - Gunnar Groebler, CEO, Salzgitter AG and Chairman of the Board of LESS

"These agreements represent a significant stride toward globally aligned and harmonized standards for low- and near-zero-emission steel, which are critical for advancing decarbonization across the sector." - Riccardo Savigliano, Chief, Energy Systems and Decarbonization Unit, United Nations Industrial Development Organisation - UNIDO

“Unified, credible, and interoperable standards are vital for making informed sourcing decisions in complex, globalized value chains like ours. These agreements will deliver much-needed clarity and consistency to the market, strengthening the foundation for real climate action in the steel sector.” - Susanne Larsson, CFO & CSO, SKF

"Carbon emissions from steel are a key challenge in the real estate sector. As the first real estate company in China to join Climate Group’s SteelZero initiative, Hang Lung Properties welcomes and applauds this announcement. Incentivizing decarbonization across all steel production routes and establishing credible, interoperable standards will speed production of low carbon steel and add clarity and momentum to demand-side initiatives in China and elsewhere.” - John Haffner, Deputy Director – Sustainability, Hang Lung Properties

"Aligning global standards for low-emission steel is essential to enable credible sourcing and sustainable trade at scale. At Schneider Electric, we've learned that decarbonizing supply chains requires harmonized, high-integrity standards that ensure transparency, traceability, and measurable impact. We're committed to building industry coalitions, fostering long-term partnerships, and driving the standardization needed to accelerate sustainable innovation." - Esther FINIDORI, Chief Sustainability Officer, Schneider Electric

"This announcement is a powerful example of what collaboration can achieve. By shaping standards under a common framework, these organisations are paving the way for greater alignment in how we measure and classify emissions in steel - a sector that is critical to global decarbonisation. Climate Group congratulates ResponsibleSteel, CISA, and LESS on this innovative approach, which promises to accelerate progress toward a shared goal: reducing carbon emissions across the steel industry worldwide." - Mike Peirce, Executive Director, Systems Change, Climate Group

"SteelZero was set up by Climate Group and ResponsibleSteel to accelerate demand for net-zero steel, and this announcement is a vital step towards that goal. Steel buyers looking to procure low-carbon materials need clarity and comparability at a time when multiple decarbonisation standards are emerging. Reducing barriers to measurement and progress is essential to help companies make informed choices about where to buy their low-emission steel. This collaboration promises to deliver that clarity." - Sameen Khan, Senior Manager, Steel, Climate Group