ArcelorMittal Tubarão: the first ResponsibleSteel™ steelmaking site in Latin America

24/03/2022 - ResponsibleSteel™ has awarded the world's first certification to a steelmaking site in Latin America. ArcelorMittal Tubarão is the first industrial plant in Latin America to receive the ResponsibleSteel™ sustainability certification for its operations. 

ArcelorMittal Tubarão is the first industrial plant in the Americas and outside Europe to receive the sustainability certification for its operations according to the ResponsibleSteel™, a standard and certification programme for the production of steel. Before receiving the certification, the unit – the largest ArcelorMittal Group plant in Brazil, located in the municipality of Serra (ES) – underwent a thorough auditing process.

Launched in 2015, ResponsibleSteel™ sets global standards for sustainability performance and promotes the certification of steel chain companies through a network of independent certification bodies. The innovative initiative involves more than 40 members and associates, consisting of steel chain companies and civil society organizations around the world.

ResponsibleSteel's™ role is to improve responsible steel supply, production, use and recycling by developing high-quality standards, certification, and other tools. ArcelorMittal has played a fundamental role in the establishment of this global multi-stakeholder standard and certification programme.

In 2019, ResponsibleSteel™ created a sustainability standard that relies on twelve environmental, social and governance principles. The principles establish sustainability goals concerning the availability of water resources, health and safety, stakeholder demands, human and labor rights and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. These principles enable that high standards of sustainability in production and consumption can be met.

The Tubarão certification is the first one obtained by a company outside Europe.

To ensure that the performance standard is met for certification, an audit is carried out by an independent party, in this case by the independent consultancy DNV Brazil. The audit process consisted of gathering in-depth information on sustainable practices, visits to the industrial plant to collect the much needed evidence, and interviews with stakeholders.

The sustainability standard is based on twelve environmental, social and governance principles. They are: