Aperam’s European Operations Earn ResponsibleSteel Certification
Strategic Research Institute
Published on :
24 Sep, 2021, 5:57 am
Global stainless steel giant Aperam announces that its Stainless Europe operations have been successfully certified to be operating at the ResponsibleSteel Standard by the independent auditors AFNOR. Aperam Chief Executive Officer Mr Timoteo Di Maulo said “Aperam becoming the first stainless steel player to be certified under the ResponsibleSteel Standard is reassurance to our stakeholders that we produce responsibly. With Aperam, our customers have selected a partner of choice, offering them responsibly produced solutions that are also 100% recyclable and low carbon solutions that are much needed for the sustainable society we strive to live in.”
The audit of Aperam's facilities, which took place in June and included Aperam's Chfitelet, Genk, Gueugnon, Isbergues and Saint-Denis sites in Belgium and France, examined such sustainability topics as
- Governance and ethics
- Health & Safety and other labour and human rights Climate change, greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity Water stewardship and other environmental impacts Stakeholder engagement and local community relations
In accordance with the standard process, Aperam's sites were screened based on written documentation, and underwent on-site audits by third-party auditors from AFNOR Certification. The analysis was completed by more than 40 exchanges with our external stakeholders, including officials, neighbours, associations, subcontractors, employees and unions. An independent Assurance Panel reviewed the final audit report and agreed with the audit team's conclusion that Aperam meets the ResponsibleSteel criteria.
The ResponsibleSteel initiative is the first global sustainability certification programme for the steel sector and its certification follows a stringent audit of the company's practices. The ResponsibleSteel Standard, which was designed together by business partners and NGOs with the aim of promoting steel as a responsible material of choice, contains 12 principles with more than 200 requirements that set the benchmark for responsible steel production.
Aperam is a global player in stainless, electrical and specialty steel, with customers in over 40 countries. The business is organised in three primary operating segments: Stainless & Electrical Steel, Services & Solutions and Alloys & Specialties. Aperam has a flat Stainless and Electrical steel capacity of 2.5 million tonnes in Brazil and Europe and is a leader in high value specialty products. In addition to its industrial network, spread over six production facilities in Brazil, Belgium and France, Aperam has a highly integrated distribution, processing and services network and a unique capability to produce stainless and special steels from low cost biomass. In 2020, Aperam had sales of EUR 3,624 million and steel shipments of 1.68 million tonnes.