Sustainability performance of the steel industry 2004-2022
Sustainability is everybody’s responsibility and the collective goal of our society to make sure that our needs at the current time are met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The steel industry recognises the need to act on sustainability topics and has been undertaking various initiatives and programmes to deliver its commitment to a sustainable society. Steelmaking equipments
Measuring key aspects of the industry’s economic, environmental and social performance and reporting at a global level on a yearly basis is one of the major and long-standing efforts that the steel industry undertakes to manage its performance, demonstrate its commitment to sustainability and to enhance transparency.
These Sustainability Indicators of the steel industry are directly related to the worldsteel Sustainability Principles and are also closely aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, reflecting the evolving business environment as well as the expectations and requirements of society.
worldsteel members have been providing data for the 8 Sustainability Indicators, spending significant resources to collect and measure their performance every year since 2004 for worldsteel and the many reporting frameworks that require such information.
In 2023, 94 steel companies and associations contributed to the data collection. Crude steel produced by companies that reported on one or more indicators for fiscal year 2022 was 990.2 million tonnes, representing 53% of global crude steel production. 77 organisations voluntarily provided data for one or more of the 8 indicators, 41 of which provided data for all 8 indicators.
* For details on the calculation methodology for each of these indicators, please refer to this section ** For details on indicators 1 and 2, please refer to this section
Since 2007, worldsteel has published a single annual global CO2 emissions intensity together with an energy intensity metric. These numbers are weighted based on the % split between the blast furnace–basic oxygen furnace (BF-BOF) and scrap-based electric arc furnace (EAF) global steel production routes.
Since 2022, the global average value for both intensities now also incorporates a contribution from direct reduced iron (DRI)-based EAF steel production, given its rising importance as a key steel making process.
We consider that this new approach to calculating the global metric more accurately reflects global steel production today and in the future. Both the CO2 emissions and energy intensity for previous years have not been recalculated to reflect this change.
Further information on the worldsteel CO2 data collection methodology (including scope, boundaries and emission factors) can be found here: Climate Action Data Collection – worldsteel.org.
2021-2022 CO2 emissions and energy intensity
* Data concerning global crude steel production using DRI is not currently collected, the denominator in this calculation is therefore calculated by the worldsteel data management team based on information contained in worldsteel’s collective databases.
Calculation approach for global CO2 emissions intensity, 2022 onwards
Calculation approach for energy intensity, 2022 onwards
Indicators 1 and 2: CO2 emissions intensity and energy intensity are calculated with the worldsteel CO2 Data Collection methodology, which includes all scopes (1, 2, and some scope 3). The two intensities represent production weighted averages between blast furnace-basic oxygen furnace (BF-BOF), scrap-based electric arc furnace (EAF) and direct reduced iron (DRI)-based EAF steel production. Indicator 3: Only solid and liquid residues are included in this calculation, and process gases are not included. Indicator 5: Lost time injury frequency rate includes fatalities and is calculated based on figures including contractors and employees. Indicator 6: Employee training includes production and non-production facilities. Indicator 7: Investment in new processes and products includes capital expenditure and R&D investment
Notes: Indicators 1, 2 and 5: A descending curve demonstrates sustainability progress. Indicators 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8: An ascending curve demonstrates sustainability progress.
77 steel companies and associations listed below provided data for one or more of the 8 indicators. 41 companies (*) provided data for all 8 indicators.
1. Acciaierie Bertoli Safau S.p.A.* 2. ACERINOX S.A.* 3. Aceros AZA S.A.* 4. Aço Verde do Brasil (AVB)* 5. Aichi Steel Corporation 6. Algerian Qatari Steel (AQS) 7. AM/NS India (ArcelorMittal/Nippon Steel India) 8. Ansteel Group Corporation Limited 9. Aperam* 10. ArcelorMittal* 11. Badische Stahlwerke GmbH 12. Bangladesh Steel Re-Rolling Mills Limited 13. Baotou Iron & Steel (Group) Co., Ltd 14. BlueScope Steel Limited* 15. CELSA Group* 16. China Baowu Steel Group Corporation Limited 17. China Steel Corporation (CSC)* 18. CITIC PACIFIC Special Steel Group Co., Ltd 19. Cogne Acciai Speciali Spa* 20. Çolakoğlu Metalurji A.Ş. 21. Daido Steel Co., Ltd. 22. Diler Iron and Steel Co., Inc. 23. Duferco S.A. 24. elmarakbysteel* 25. Emirates Steel Arkan* 26. EZZ Steel* 27. Feng Hsin Steel Co., Ltd.* 28. Gerdau S.A.* 29. HBIS Group Co., Ltd. 30. HYUNDAI Steel Company* 31. Japan Stainless Steel Association (JSSA) 32. JFE Steel Corporation* 33. Jindal Shadeed Iron & Steel LLC* 34. Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL) 35. JSW Steel Limited* 36. KAPTAN DEMIR CELIK ENDUSTRISI VE TICARET A.S. 37. Kobe Steel, Ltd* 38. Kroman Çelik Sanayii A.Ş. 39. Liberty Speciality Steel (GFG Alliance)* 40. Liberty Steel Australia (GFG Alliance)* 41. Metinvest Holding LLC* 42. Mobarakeh Steel Company (MSC) 43. NatSteel Holdings Pte Ltd* 44. Nippon Kinzoku Co., Ltd. 45. Nippon Steel Corporation* 46. Nippon Steel Stainless Steel Corporation (NSSSC) 47. Nippon Yakin Kogyo Co., Ltd. 48. Nucor Corporation* 49. Ovako AB 50. POSCO Holdings*
51. PT Gunung Raja Paksi Tbk 52. Qatar Steel Company (Q.P.S.C.)* 53. Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd (VIZAG Steel) 54. SABIC-Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (HADEED)* 55. Sahaviriya Steel Industries Public Company Limited (SSI) 56. SeAH Besteel Corporation* 57. SeAH Changwon Integrated Special Steel Corp.* 58. Shougang Group Co.,LTD 59. Siam Yamato Steel Company Corporation (SYS) 60. SIDENOR S.A.* 61. SIJ (Slovenian Steel Group)* 62. Steel Authority of India Ltd. (SAIL)* 63. ŠTORE STEEL d.o.o. 64. SULB Company 65. Tang Eng Iron Works Co. Ltd. 66. Tata Steel* 67. Tenaris* 68. Ternium* 69. The Japan Iron and Steel Federation (JISF) 70. thyssenkrupp AG 71. TŘINECKÉ ŽELEZÁRNY, a.s 72. Tung Ho Steel Enterprise Corporation* 73. UGITECH SA 74. United States Steel Corporation* 75. Usinas Siderúrgicas de Minas Gerais S.A. (USIMINAS)* 76. voestalpine AG* 77. Wei Chih Steel Industrial Co.,Ltd.
Publicly available data was used for the 17 companies, including non-members, below:
1. Anyang Steel 2. Eregli Demir ve Çelik Fabrikalari TAS (Eregli Iron and Steel Works, Co.) 3. Fangda Steel 4. Hoa Phat 5. Hunan Steel Group 6. Jinxi steel 7. Jiuquan steel 8. Krakatau steel 9. Lingyuan steel 10. Liuzhou Steel 11. Nanjing Steel 12. Outokumpu Oyj 13. Salzgitter AG Stahl und Technologie 14. Sanming Steel 15. Shagang Group 16. Shandong Steel Group 17. SSAB AB
* United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
World Steel Association AISBL Registered office: Avenue de Tervueren 270 – 1150 Brussels – Belgium T: +32 2 702 89 00 – F: +32 2 702 88 99 – E: steel@worldsteel.org
Beijing office C413 Office Building – Beijing Lufthansa Center – 50 Liangmaqiao Road Chaoyang District – Beijing 100125 – China T: +86 10 6464 6733 – F: +86 10 6468 0728 – E: china@worldsteel.org
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