GSCC certifies Nucor Corporation

Nucor is North America’s largest recycler and steel producer with more than 300 locations.

GSCC is a non-profit organization that leads efforts to reduce steel carbon emissions and encourages investments in lower-carbon emission technology as part of the global effort to decarbonize economies and societies. GSCC members are steel manufacturers, associations and other organizations in the steel supply chain that have a presence in over 80 countries around the world.

The SBET submitted by the North Carolina-based company sets an ambitious goal of reducing emissions by 2030 for its hot-rolled steel production.

“Nucor is a global leader in sustainably produced, low carbon steel production, and they are proving that innovation and vision will drive the steel industry to meet the global community’s Net Zero by 2050 call to action. We congratulate Nucor for investing in initiatives that will see the company meet the ambitious interim and long-term targets that the GSCC has certified," said Adina Renee Adler, executive director, GSCC

In the company’s certification submission – which SCS Global Services independently verified – Nucor uses a 2023 base year to set an interim SBET of 0.975 metric tons of CO₂e per metric ton of hot-rolled steel produced by 2030. The American steel giant further set a long-term goal of 0.116 metric tons of CO₂e per metric ton of hot-rolled steel produced by 2050. These targets were set in compliance with the GSCC Steel Climate Standard, and Nucor’s long-term target exceeds the Standard’s 2050 objective.

“These targets, and the certification provided by our partners at GSCC, further demonstrates Nucor’s leadership in providing American-made, low embodied carbon steel while also giving customers, investors, and policymakers confidence in our roadmap and strategy for achieving our carbon reduction goals." said Greg Murphy, executive vice president of business services, sustainability and general counsel of Nucor, a founding member-company of GSCC..”

Science-based emissions targets provide a pathway for companies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, helping prevent the worst impacts of climate change. Targets are considered 'science-based' if they align with the latest climate science necessary to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement – limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

The GSCC Steel Climate Standard, adopted in August 2023 as a global standard to measure and report steel carbon emissions, also provides a framework for members to seek third-party verified certification of the emissions intensity of facility-specific products and to self-audit these emissions yearly to demonstrate continuous decarbonization progress.

With North America’s largest steel producer certification, the GSCC adds to the growing list of steel producers committed to decarbonization through Science-Based Emissions Targets (SBET).

For more than five decades, Nucor has established a circular model of steel production with a low-carbon footprint, accomplished through the recycling of scrap metal into new steel and steel products utilizing electric arc furnace technology. Committed to shaping the industry's future, Nucor continues to invest in breakthrough technologies aimed at lowering emissions throughout the supply chain, not only enhancing the sustainability of steel production but also empowering partners to achieve their own carbon reduction goals.