United States Steel Corporation announced it is the first steel company in the world to qualify to sell its products as ResponsibleSteel Certified Steel at its Big River facility in Osceola, Arkansas. Big River received the first ResponsibleSteel Site Certification in North America in 2022 and is once again at the forefront of innovation by achieving certification for sustainably sourced and manufactured steel.
ResponsibleSteel is one of the industry’s leading global multi-stakeholder standards bodies, enabling certification at the site level – and now for the first time steel certification. By meeting the standard for Certified Steel, U. S. Steel’s Big River facility demonstrates its continued commitment to advancing industry sustainability while delivering profitable solutions for stakeholders and benefits for the planet.
“This is an extraordinary accomplishment,” said U. S. Steel President and CEO David B. Burritt. “The rigorous requirements needed for ResponsibleSteel Certified Steel represent a new gold standard for responsible steel manufacturing on a global scale. This certification gives customers and stakeholders confidence that Big River is on the path to near zero and demonstrates that we are using responsible practices across our supply chain. Being the first steel company in the world to achieve ResponsibleSteel Certified Steel demonstrates our strong resolve to build a more sustainable steel industry in the United States and across the world.”
The ResponsibleSteel International Production Standard incorporates environmental, social and governance requirements across its thirteen Principles, which include over 500 criteria for the responsible sourcing and production of steel. Certified Steel requires both Site Certification and additional conformance with two key components: progress on the responsible sourcing of input materials and site-level decarbonization. ResponsibleSteel Certified Steel provides steel buyers with a consistent assessment of the site’s material sourcing and decarbonization progress.
By offering Certified Steel, U. S. Steel is demonstrating leadership in enabling steel producers, and suppliers to assess their sustainability progress through a comprehensive, credible global benchmark. The Standard is constructed not only to encourage decarbonization progress at the site but also to drive responsible sourcing and a rigorous supply chain ESG analysis. It fosters tracking and transparency across the steel supply chain from input materials to the product, ensuring that ESG initiatives are integrated at every stage. With four Progress Levels outlined, companies are guided in improving responsible sourcing and decarbonization until full supply chain transparency and near zero are achieved. U. S. Steel has achieved certification at Progress Level 1 continuing a steadfast commitment to an integrated approach to sustainability.
“ResponsibleSteel employs a comprehensive approach to its certification standards, and that is evident in the work we do here at Big River Steel,” noted Dan Brown, Senior Vice President of Advanced Technology Steelmaking for U. S. Steel and Chief Operating Officer of Big River Steel Works. “Our transparency around decarbonization and collaborative approach with our suppliers and community all play a role in what it means to have truly ‘sustainable’ steel products for our customers.”
S. Steel’s Big River achieved Certified Steel by demonstrating how sustainability permeates throughout the company’s operations. For example, it is more sustainable to obtain the input materials closest to the facility with a known supply chain source. Iron ore pellets are mined and produced at U. S. Steel’s Minnesota Ore Operations, which serve as raw materials for pig iron production at U. S. Steel’s Gary Works in northwest Indiana, which then becomes a key input in the steelmaking process at U. S. Steel’s Big River.
“ResponsibleSteel congratulates U. S. Steel on this significant accomplishment – the first-of-a-kind across the global industry. This certification demonstrates the company’s strong ongoing commitment to transparency, credibility, and responsibility, as they make progress in their decarbonization plans. Today this news sends a clear message to the market: progress towards responsible ‘green steel’ is being achieved and can be most credibly benchmarked. For those buyers looking to cut through the confusion of environmental claims, look no further,” remarks Annie Heaton, ResponsibleSteel’s CEO. “We look forward to U. S. Steel’s ongoing progress and leadership in the market for credible sustainable steel products.”
