The Australian Steel Institute (ASI) has launched the Steel Sustainability Australia programme (SSA), which replaces their Environmental Sustainability Charter programme (ESC). The SSA aims to support participants in meeting construction industry expectations for sustainably-sourced steel. The programme ensures that steel is responsibly sourced, fabricated and processed by best-practice sustainable operators.
The programme was developed to align with the Green Star Buildings rating tool and the Responsible Products Framework developed by the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA). SSA-certified steel products can assist projects seeking Green Star certification.
This webinar explains the new programme, how it was developed, and how it can help the steel industry respond to current and future sustainability challenges in the built environment. The ASI’s Sustainability Manager Jerusha Beresford joined Katherine Featherstone, Senior Manager Responsible Products and Materials at the GBCA. Our Head of Strategy and Impact Australia Nicole Sullivan hosted the webinar.
Here's a preview of the webinar – watch the full presentation using the button below
Main takeaways
Industry associations can have a huge impact
Associations understand their members’ needs and can influence how their industry develops. With a strategic direction and the support of their members, associations can act as ‘multipliers’, creating improvements in sustainability across the industry.
Strong collaboration between groups pushes sustainability forward
The Australian Steel Institute (ASI) set out to help its members meet the growing sustainability demands of the building and construction industry. ASI worked with the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) and developed a certification programme based on the principles of the GBCA’s Responsible Products Framework. This means that SSA-certified steel can gain credits in programmes like Green Star.
The SSA programme looks at the whole steel supply chain
It seeks best practice for environmental, social and governance both ‘up and downstream’ in the supply chain. This covers steel fabricators, roll formers, and reinforcing processors.
The SSA programme has a ‘staged’ approach
Whatever stage steel manufacturers are at, the SSA programme can make their operations more sustainable. The different levels translate to the GBCA’s Responsible Product Values (RPVs), which provide Green Star points in construction projects.