ResponsibleSteel Launches Public Consultations on New Downstream Chain of Custody Standard and Revised Responsible Sourcing Requirements

Today, ResponsibleSteel has launched two public consultations as part of our ongoing standards development work. We are inviting feedback on a draft of a new downstream chain of custody standard, as well as revisions to the ResponsibleSteel International Standard’s Principle 3: Responsible Sourcing of Input Materials.

Downstream Chain of Custody Standard

Developing a downstream chain of custody standard is crucial to building demand for ResponsibleSteel certified steel. This initial draft has been developed following extensive discussions with our downstream claims and chain of custody member working group between December 2022 and July 2023. The working group concluded with two recommendations:

1. ResponsibleSteel should provide a downstream chain of custody standard based on physical traceability with full segregation (i.e. all ResponsibleSteel-certified steel products would be made with 100% certified steel).
2. The downstream chain of custody standard would be accompanied by a complementary ‘Book & Claim’ system that would create value for ResponsibleSteel certified steelmakers and downstream steel users, based on claims that do not require the physical tracking of ResponsibleSteel certified steel through the supply chain. This will be developed in future following additional research and consultation with members and stakeholders.

Acting on the first of these recommendations, ResponsibleSteel has drafted a downstream chain of custody standard based on physical traceability with full segregation which we are now inviting stakeholders to share their feedback on. This 60-day public consultation is open from March 15th to May 14th. A second public consultation will be held later this year.

Get involved: If you would like to give feedback on the first draft of ResponsibleSteel’s Downstream Chain of Custody Standard, please visit our Standards Development page. Submissions will be open until May 14th, 2024, 23:59 GMT.

Additionally, ResponsibleSteel will be pilot-testing the downstream chain of custody standard to test its in-practice applicability. If your organisation is interested in carrying out a pilot test at one or more of your sites, please contact us at standards@responsiblesteel.org.

Principle 3: Responsible Sourcing of Input Materials

In September 2022, we launched the ResponsibleSteel International Standard V2.0. In addition to the core requirements steelmaking sites can be audited against, Version 2.0 introduced additional progress-level requirements for the responsible sourcing of input materials (Principle 3) and climate change and greenhouse gas emissions (Principle 10).

During the 12-month test phase of Version 2.0, ResponsibleSteel received requests for revisions to Principle 3. Some of these requests would involve significant changes to the requirements and throughout January and February 2024, a member working group was convened to understand the issues, provide ideas, and test and improve proposals for revision. The working group brought together civil society, steelmaking and mining companies as well as traders and other member organisations. The presentations and discussion notes of these working group meetings can be found here.

The proposed revisions to Principle 3 are open for public consultation for 30 days and include the introduction of an on-ramp transitional period into the specification of the materials sourcing Progress Level 1 in criteria 3.2 and 3.4, as well as some proposed corresponding changes to guidance and annexes to the requirements.

Following the consultation, ResponsibleSteel will review any feedback before seeking approval for an urgent revision to Principle 3 from the ResponsibleSteel Board following the Urgent Revision Mechanisms specified in our International Standards Development Procedures. Final revisions will be incorporated in Version 2.1 of the ResponsibleSteel International Standard later this year.

Get involved: If you would like to give feedback on the revisions to the ResponsibleSteel International Standard’s Principle 3: Responsible Sourcing of Input Materials, please visit our Standards Development page. Submissions will be open until April 14th 2024 23:59 GMT.  

Find Out More

Join us on Tuesday 26 March, 12:00-14:00 (GMT) for a member and stakeholder webinar to find out more about the consultations. Register here.

If you have any questions regarding either of these public consultations, please contact the ResponsibleSteel Secretariat at standards@responsiblesteel.org.