In a press release, U. S. Steel said Big River Steel received certification after SRI Quality System Registrar (SRI) conducted an independent third-party audit and determined the mill met the requirements of the ResponsibleSteel Standard.
 
The ResponsibleSteel Standard 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. It sets a global benchmark for leading practices in environmental, social and governance responsibility for steel production.
 
“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 and chief executive David B. 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.”
 
Acting chief executive of ResponsibleSteel Alison Lucas said, “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.”
 
Lucas added that achieving ResponsibleSteel certification demonstrates a steelmaker’s commitment of a steelmaker to “building a more responsible steel sector.”