Emirates Steel Arkan (ESA) has been awarded a 2024 Steel Sustainability Champion by the World Steel Association (worldsteel).
Now in its seventh year, the accolade highlights companies’ commitment to sustainable development within the global steel industry.
ESA was the only company in the MENA to secure the titles, and ranked among 12 other companies worldwide.
The industry is responsible for around 7 per cent of emissions globally and is considered one of the so called “hard-to-abate” sectors.
ESA shared that its production process utilises 45 per cent less carbon than the industry average, a result of a strategic focus on clean energy utilisation, scrap and recyclables utilisation, and Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS).
Commenting on this Award, Saeed Alghafri, CEO of Emirates Steel, an ESA company, said: “Being named a 2024 Steel Sustainability Champion is a testament to our relentless pursuit of sustainable practices. In 2023, we achieved significant milestones such as launching the first green hydrogen steel pilot project in MENA in collaboration with Masdar. Additionally, our accomplishments include 11% year-on-year reduction of absolute emissions, a 45% increase in renewable energy consumption, and the utilization of 84% clean electricity. These achievements highlight our dedication to minimizing our environmental footprint through innovation and environmental stewardship.”
The Steel Sustainability Champions Programme, administered by worldsteel, awards companies based on a stringent criteria, it shared including signing the worldsteel Sustainability Charter, meeting 20 sustainability criteria, providing Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) data, and participating in worldsteel’s initiatives such as the Steelie Awards or the Safety and Health Recognition Programme.