ArcelorMittal Tubarão obtains sustainability certification

ArcelorMittal Tubarão is the first industrial plant in the Americas and outside Europe to obtain sustainability certification of its operations by the standards of ResponsibleSteel™, a world reference organization for producing steel in a responsible way. Before receiving the recognition, the unit - ArcelorMittal Group's largest plant in Brazil, located in the municipality of Serra (ES) - went through a rigorous audit procedure.

"Our search is constant for a more sustainable process from the supply of raw materials to the sale of solutions to our customers. With the certification, we want our industry clients and society to be sure that our steel is produced responsibly at all stages," explains Jorge Oliveira, CEO ArcelorMittal Aços Planos South America. The certification is valid for three years and is the first obtained by a company outside Europe.

For Ali Lucas, CEO of ResponsibleSteel™, the steel sector was hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic and its recovery is essential for the region. But growth cannot and should not occur at any cost. Therefore, obtaining the first ResponsibleSteel certification is of utmost importance for a unit in Latin America. "This certification is not easy to achieve and the industry highlights are not only focused on decarbonisation of processes, but also on respect for human rights, labour rights and local communities, always ensuring that health and safety remain priorities, focusing on the broad spectrum of the ESG agenda. The importance of a responsible steel supply chain is in line with the expectations of stakeholders in Latin America, who are well aware of the connections between mining and steel production and the need to address not only the direct impacts of the steel industry. This is the reason why the responsible supply chain will become an important and growing part of the ResponsibleSteel certification process," he explains.

In 2019, ResponsibleSteel™ created a sustainability standard that features 12 environmental, social and governance principles. The principles set sustainability targets with respect to water resource availability, health and safety, stakeholder demands, human and labour rights and greenhouse gas emissions reduction, enabling high sustainability standards in production and consumption to be met.

Source and Photo: Arcelor Mittal