ArcelorMittal announced that it has achieved ResponsibleSteel site certification in Belgium, Germany and Luxembourg.

The company’s steelmaking sites in ArcelorMittal Belgium (Geel, Genk, Gent and Liège), Luxembourg (Belval, Differdange and Rodange) and Germany (Bremen and Eisenhüttenstadt) are the first steel plants globally to be independently audited and found to meet the standards required for ResponsibleSteel, the industry’s first global multi-stakeholder standard and certification initiative.

The ResponsibleSteel audit process enables each site to prove that its production processes meet rigorously defined standards across a broad range of social, environmental and governance criteria including:                     

• Climate change and greenhouse gas emissions
• Water stewardship and biodiversity
• Human rights and labour rights
• Community relations and business integrity

Geert Van Poelvoorde, CEO ArcelorMittal Europe said: “Responsible production techniques and high ethical and business standards have become increasingly important to our customers and consumers. 

“ResponsibleSteel certification gives our customers the reassurance that we meet expectations on setting carbon reduction targets, as well as meeting expectations on environmental and social standards at every stage of production. 

“The certification process has involved many teams across ArcelorMittal, and I would like to congratulate them for their hard work in being the first sites to achieve ResponsibleSteel™ certification – this is a major achievement.”

After the initial phase in Europe, further ArcelorMittal sites around the world will be part of the programme.

In 2021, ResponsibleSteel will launch a standard for the certification of steel products, which will include stringent requirements for raw materials supply chain. ArcelorMittal will continue to play an active role in developing this aspect of the programme. 

Steel is the world’s most widely used material and those who use it in the transport, automotive, infrastructure, packaging, construction, energy and white goods sectors have a growing expectation that the materials they work with are responsibly sourced and produced.

ResponsibleSteel, which is the world’s first’s responsible sourcing certification scheme for steel, aims to meet these expectations.

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