ResponsibleSteel publishes verified emissions data: The next step towards transparent, consistent emissions accounting and disclosure

ResponsibleSteel has published verified greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions data from Certified Sites as part of its members’ commitment to transparent emissions accounting and data disclosure.

As pressure for credible climate action grows, clear, consistent and comparable emissions data is essential. It enables steel buyers, investors, policy makers and other stakeholders to effectively assess the emissions performance of steel production sites and make informed decisions, helping to drive progress on industry decarbonisation.

Today, we mark an important early milestone on the journey towards transparent and consistent emissions accounting and data disclosure. Following multi-stakeholder agreement on what is necessary for credible data disclosure as part of the development of the Production Standard, we are now publicly disclosing these GHG data points. But this is just the beginning.

Moving forward, we aim to see wider adoption of ResponsibleSteel’s accounting methodology for the globally comparable metric of cradle-to-crude steel GHG emissions intensity at site level, and more sites working toward achieving ResponsibleSteel Certified Steel. With this shift, we will move towards being able to compare data reliably, enabling like-for-like assessments of emissions performance.

Whilst we are already seeing incremental emissions reductions across some steelmaking sites, in the coming years, we hope to celebrate deeper emissions reductions, verified based on robust, comparable data.

What data are sites required to disclose?

Under Principle 10 of the ResponsibleSteel International Production Standard, sites are required to disclose emissions data depending on their level of certification:

Core Site Certification

Sites certified against ResponsibleSteel’s Core requirements must measure, record and verify their total site-level GHG emissions using a regionally or internationally recognised methodology. The site may choose to use the ‘cradle-to-crude’ emissions accounting methodology developed by ResponsibleSteel, but it is not mandatory. Core   Site Certification can apply to steelmaking sites as well as upstream or downstream manufacturing sites in the value chain.

Certified Steel

Sites that have achieved certification against ResponsibleSteel’s Progress Level requirements to market and sell products as Certified Steel must use the consistent ‘cradle-to-crude’ emissions accounting methodology developed by ResponsibleSteel. This enables like-for-like comparison of crude steel GHG emissions intensity across sites globally. Only steelmaking sites can be certified to sell Certified Steel. These sites must disclose their:

• Crude steel emissions intensity;
• Proportion of scrap used as metallic input;
• The Decarbonisation Progress Level achieved; and
• Product-level carbon footprint data.

All data published on ResponsibleSteel’s website has been independently verified by third-party auditors to ensure accuracy, which is then also reviewed by ResponsibleSteel’s Assurance Panel and Secretariat.

It’s important to note that while disclosing emissions at site level aids in the comparability of data, the Production Standard also permits the disclosure of a weighted average across a portfolio of sites instead, provided the portfolio meets the requirements for a ‘strategic business unit’ as defined in the ResponsibleSteel Glossary.  In some cases, due to the nature of the business unit, a portfolio may consist of both certified and non-certified sites.

Disclosure of portfolio-level data on the ResponsibleSteel website represents a valuable next step and in time, we anticipate more steelmakers will opt to publish site-level data to strengthen transparency, enable clearer insights, and support decarbonisation progress.

Why are there gaps in the data?

It’s important to note that not all data is available yet. This could be because:

• A site is preparing for an upcoming surveillance or re-certification audit, after which the most recent data will be published; or
• A site was certified under an earlier version of the Production Standard. Public disclosure of GHG emissions data became a formal requirement with the publication of Version 2.0 of the Production Standard in September 2022. Sites certified under an earlier version are not obliged to publish this data on ResponsibleSteel’s website until it comes time for re-certification.

Working towards transparent, comparable emissions data measurement and reporting

Comparability of GHG emissions data is only meaningful when consistent measurement methodologies are applied. This includes (but is not limited to) aligning on emissions boundaries, the types of GHGs included, the use of default data, and the allocation methods for scrap and co-products.

For this reason, data from Core Site Certifications, while valuable, is not directly comparable across sites, as each may use different recognised methodologies.

To obtain certification to sell Certified Steel, however, sites must use ResponsibleSteel’s methodology to calculate their data, allowing for clear and consistent comparisons between steelmaking sites worldwide.  

To strengthen comparability and accelerate the industry’s transition, ResponsibleSteel encourages all steelmaking sites, whether pursuing Core Site Certification or not, to adopt its emissions accounting methodology and to publish their data.  

Learn more about ResponsibleSteel’s emissions accounting methodology here.  

To explore the data disclosed by ResponsibleSteel Certified Sites, visit our new webpage.