U.S. Steel’s Big River Steel first in North America to achieve ResponsibleSteel certification

U.S. Steel announced Monday (April 4) that its Big River Steel mill in Osceola has become the first-ever ResponsibleSteel site certified in North America.

BRS received the site certification after SRI Quality System Registrar (SRI) conducted an independent third-party audit and determined the mill met the stringent requirements of the industry’s only global multi-stakeholder standard and certification initiative.

The audit consisted of gathering comprehensive materials, onsite visits and worker and stakeholder interviews. The certification is based on 12 principles with a wide range of criteria covering topics such as health and safety, greenhouse gas emissions, water stewardship and biodiversity. Human rights, labor rights, and community relations are also considered.

“We are thrilled to be the first steel company in North America to achieve ResponsibleSteel certification for our Big River Steel site,” U. S. Steel President & CEO David Burritt said. “This marks an important milestone on our journey to build a more sustainable future for our customers, company, colleagues, communities, and the planet. Congratulations to the Big River Steel team for earning this certification.”

“We are delighted that U. S. Steel’s Big River site has become the first site in North America to successfully pass an independent audit against the ResponsibleSteel Standard – the global sustainability standard for the steel sector. This is a significant achievement. Our Standard, developed by the only international multi-stakeholder steel initiative, ensures that steelmaking sites comply with a comprehensive selection of criteria that reflect the full breadth of the ESG spectrum,” said Alison Lucas, acting CEO of ResponsibleSteel.

“As one of the largest steel-producing countries globally, getting a steelmaker in the U.S. certified is crucial. We look forward to working with the U. S. Steel during the next phase, certified steel, which will not only ensure that steel is responsibly produced but responsibly sourced as well,” Lucas added.