ArcelorMittal has taken a leading role in forming and committing to ResponsibleSteel, the steel industry’s first multi-stakeholder global certification initiative.
ResponsibleSteel was set up in 2015 as a non-profit organisation to drive a more responsible future for the steel industry.
It will achieve this by building the first global certification program and standard for the entire steel value chain from mining, to production processes, to final stage sales and distribution.
Certification standards will include the following areas: Climate Change & Greenhouse Gas Emissions; Water Responsibility & Biodiversity; Human Rights & Labour Law; and Local Communities & Business Integrity.
Explaining ArcelorMittal’s commitment to ResponsibleSteel, Alan Knight, Global Head of Sustainable Development, said, “responsible production techniques and high ethical and business standards are becoming increasingly important to our customers, and ultimately to their customers and consumers.
“We want to get to a point where steel users and purchasers have total confidence in their choices. ResponsibleSteel™ provides us with a fantastic opportunity to do this and to create the world’s first certification programme for the industry.”
ResponsibleSteel is a membership-based organisation currently comprising 22 members including steel producers, car manufacturers (BMW Group and Daimler), finance providers such as HSBC, industry organisations and NGOs.
The scheme will formally launch its certification standards following a rigorous accreditation process which is expected to conclude towards the end of 2019.
Once launched, ResponsibleSteel expects to rapidly grow its membership base with the aim of becoming the industry-recognised standard around the world.
