ResponsibleSteel Progress Report 2024

Steel touches every aspect of our lives and is the foundation of the modern economy.  

Today, over six million people work in the steel industry worldwide, and it contributes around 3.8% to global GDP.

Yet, steel also contributes roughly 10% to global energy emissions, and there are numerous other issues associated with its production and supply chain. So what does responsible steelmaking look like?

With the support of our members and stakeholders, we've spent over a decade building the foundations for more responsible steelmaking, identifying key ESG issues in the industry, and rolling out the ResponsibleSteel International Production Standard globally.

The ResponsibleSteel International Production Standard consists of 13 Principles covering not only emissions but also labour rights, biodiversity, local communities and more, because responsible steelmaking must go beyond decarbonisation.

Certification against the Standard gives buyers, stakeholders and investors the confidence that certified sites are operating at some of the highest industry standards on all aspect of sustainability. To become certified, steelmaking sites must first undergo a rigorous audit carried out by independent qualified certification bodies. Sites that meet the Standard’s core requirements are awarded site certification.  

The first steelmaking sites began achieving site certification against the Standard in July 2021. Today, we have certified sites across 14 countries.

And now to continue driving industry improvement, sites can take the next step and market their products as certified steel once they've met additional ‘Progress Levels’ for decarbonisation and responsible materials sourcing.

In this first ResponsibleSteel Progress Report, we chart the steps made towards achieving our mission so far and look forward as we continue to build momentum and accelerate progress in the industry.