2026 SteelZero Impact Report: From credible action to real-world emission reductions

Steel is responsible for 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and for most of its history, decarbonising it has been treated as a supplier problem. SteelZero was built on a different premise: that the companies buying steel have the power to drive real change by showing demand. Today, that premise has proven right:  

"Five years ago, the notion that steel buyers could meaningfully influence how steel is produced was practically non-existent. Decarbonising steel was framed as a challenge for producers, technology providers and governments – distant from the procurement decisions of those who actually use it."

– Sameen Khan, Senior Manager SteelZero

What SteelZero has achieved since launching 

A global coalition of 44 companies spanning industries such as construction, automotive, renewable energy, manufacturing, and even jewelry, has built: 

• The first timebound, quantitative demand-side commitment framework for steel 
• Credible thresholds that have helped shape global alignment on low-carbon steel definitions 
• An innovative customer-led reporting framework for improved transparency and accountability 
• Real-world deployment across sectors, with projects cutting emissions by 40% or more 
• Meaningful influence on policy and global standards through engagement with governments and global initiatives 

From commitment to procurement

Through SteelZero, members are changing how they buy. Members are embedding lower emission steel into projects, reshaping procurement, and scaling solutions through innovative pilots.  

As Jen Carson, Head of Industry at Climate Group puts it:

"SteelZero exists to turn intent into industrial action - and five years in, that's exactly what it's doing. Long-term buyer commitments are supporting critical breakthroughs such as the Ørsted-Dillinger offtake agreement and SKF's hydrogen-reduced steel bearing with Voestalpine Wire Technology. Organised collective demand is moving the market. Now we need a plethora of others to follow."

Five years in, the market is shifting 

SteelZero has grown from eight founding members into a global coalition reshaping markets, policy and supply chains.  

"As a founding member of SteelZero since 2020, we’ve used the initiative as a framework to guide supplier engagement and focus on steel as a critical emissions hotspot", writes Ørsted on our member case studies bank.

The next phase is acceleration. Building on this progress, we are now focused on scaling what works and accelerating change across the system. In the next phase, we will: 

• Make lower emission steel standard in procurement by 2030 – scaling adoption, driving global alignment on definitions and reporting, and expanding demand into key markets including Asia 
• Close the data gap – improving access to high-quality, comparable emissions data so buyers can make credible, informed procurement decisions 
• Shape the enabling conditions – supporting governments on green public procurement, industrial strategy, and accelerating commercial availability of near-zero steel 

This decade is critical. Lower emission steel must become standard practice before 2030. Learn how you can drive the transition.