0,59%ResponsibleSteel™
What is ResponsibleSteel™?
ResponsibleSteel™ was launched to help steel producers answer the sustainability concerns of their customers. It is a member-based not-for-profit organisation, with membership* open to every stage of the steel supply chain.
Using an independent certification standard for both products and sites, the initiative enables producers to promote steel as the responsible material of choice.
* Membership categories: Business Organisations (incl. steelmakers, raw material suppliers and downstream users), Civil Society & Social/Environmental Organisations (organisations with social or environmental missions and trade unions), Associates (incl. governmental organisations, trade associations, standards bodies, conformity assessment bodies and academic institutions).
The site-level standard: A New Global Standard for a Responsible Steel Industry
In 2024 from April to June, we continue this journey as follows:
- ASE certification renew audit
- ASA surveillance audit
"We’re very proud to have Aperam South America join a growing number of sites globally that have been certified against the ResponsibleSteel™ Standard. It is the second Aperam site to become certified, Aperam Stainless Europe being one of the earliest sites to achieve ResponsibleSteel™ certification back in 2021. This indicates Aperam’s continued determination to show leadership in each region they operate in."
The purpose of ResponsibleSteel™?
ResponsibleSteelTM, established by sustainability experts, industry leaders and other stakeholders, was created because steel is an integral part of the world that we live in, and it is going to play a pivotal role in the creation of a new net zero world.
- Allow producers to meet the sustainability needs of their customers.
- Improve responsible sourcing and reduce ESG (Environment Social Governance) risks in the steel supply chain.
- Enable leading producers to promote steel as a responsible material.
- Provide a platform for producers and stakeholders to discuss ESG issues and agree on solutions.
A Proud Member of Responsible Steel
- Membership as part of Aperam’s strategic plan
Aperam’s commitment to sustainability is ingrained in our values and fully aligned with our mission to produce endlessly recyclable products in a responsible manner. At Aperam, we are determined to be a sector leader in environmental excellence, recording the best carbon footprint of our industry and striving to adopt best practices in terms of ethics, governance, community engagement and corporate citizenship.
“Joining this initiative corresponds to Aperam’s strategic move to promote and make corporate responsibility more widely recognised,” says Tim di Maulo, Aperam CEO. “That is why we were the first stainless steel industrialist to join ResponsibleSteel™.”
Our membership also serves to help us further strengthen our sustainability framework. For example, we realised that we had to communicate more on biodiversity – and so we did on last Sustainability Report.
- A new approach to assessment
ResponsibleSteel™ is developing standards for both products and sites, and Aperam has been actively involved in the development of the site-specific standard released in November. The certification process will involve an independent and thorough review of policies and procedures, along with direct interviews with employees and external stakeholders.
“This is a much more satisfactory assessment than a pure document-based approach, and one that should be all the more reassuring for the customer,” says Nicolas Changeur, Aperam CMO.
- Benefiting everybody
But it’s not just the end customer who will benefit from ResponsibleSteel.™ The local communities we operate in, our employees, and our suppliers all stand to benefit from the high sustainability standards this initiative sets taking into account the ideas shared by members that represent their interest.
On the supplier side for instance, the RS standard cooperates with existing mining standards to assess if we can integrate their own specific grade to rate the suppliers, recognizing the efforts of the best operators without the need for questionnaires that offer no added value.
