Earth Day 2025: Advancing sustainability in the steel industry

Earth Day is a moment to reflect on our relationship with the planet, and a call to protect the ecosystems and communities that sustain us. As we face accelerating climate and environmental crises, it’s clear that good intentions are not enough. Real progress requires meaningful, measurable action.

Steel is an essential part of modern life, supporting everything from clean energy systems to the infrastructure around us every day. But the way that steel is produced comes with a heavy environmental and social footprint. It’s one of the most emissions-intensive industries, and its impacts on land, water, and people are significant. At ResponsibleSteel, we believe that the future of steel must be aligned with the future of the planet. We unite businesses, civil society organisations, sustainability experts, and other industry stakeholders around a shared vision: that steel can—and must—be produced in a way that is environmentally and socially responsible. Our work is grounded in a set of shared principles that reflect the full scope of sustainability, including climate action, biodiversity protection, responsible resource use, and respect for human rights.

For example, our Biodiversity Principle aims to ensure that sites actively protect nature by respecting conservation areas, avoiding harm to high-value habitats, and following the mitigation hierarchy to reduce impacts. Sites are expected to assess biodiversity risks and aim for no net loss, and even a net gain, where critical habitats are involved. Our Water Stewardship Principle calls for a clear understanding of how water is used and shared in each location, with strong planning to protect water quality, support local communities, and safeguard stressed resources. By setting clear expectations like these across our Production Standard, we’re helping drive the changes the steel industry needs.

Earth Day is a reminder that environmental and social responsibility are inseparable. Steel may not be the first thing that comes to mind when we think about nature or climate, but it plays a central role in shaping both. The transformation of the industry is already underway, and must continue apace, driven by accountability, urgency, and collaboration. We don’t produce steel, but our work ensures that when it is made, it’s done with consideration for people and the planet. Because a thriving Earth requires responsible progress in every sector, including steel.

Learn more about how we’re supporting change here.