CARES Sustainable Constructional Steels Scheme - Consultation Survey

CARES is committed to promote sustainable development aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. It’s Sustainability Strategy includes measures to reduce its own direct impacts as well as actions to support performance improvements through its certifications and approvals as well as its outreach and work with construction, steel industry and other stakeholders.

 

It’s main ability to influence is through its certifications with steel mills, through its Sustainable Constructional Steels (SCS) scheme. One key feature and benefit of the scheme is independently validated carbon footprint data and an advanced Lifecycle assessment (LCA) calculator that provides company-specific and product-specific verified Environmental Product Declarations (EPD’s) to the EN 15804 standard.

 

The race to decarbonise the steel industry, the rise in due diligence legislation requiring better knowledge of and actions regarding labour rights, human rights and environmental risks in the supply chain, and customer demand are all driving increased expectations. Increased regionalisation, advances in standardisation, building rating systems, traceability and other requirements impacting on the construction supply chain are also impacting on how the steel industry meets its market needs.

 

CARES endorsed the ‘Steel Standards Principles’ in December 2023, which commits it to building consistency in reporting methodologies for Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions.

 

This survey seeks to explore steel industry and broader stakeholder views on how CARES can best reflect these drivers and influence performance improvements through its SCS scheme and wider activities. We kindly invite you to complete this online survey by 31st March 2024 to help inform the next version of the SCS scheme and CARES wider service offering. The survey takes approximately 20 minutes.

 

To assist you in completing aspects of the survey relating to the CARES SCS scheme v9, the Manual, Operational Assessment Schedule and Self-Assessment Audit Workbook have been provided. This sheet does not contain the detailed descriptions and evidence expectations and guidance available in the scheme.

The results of the survey will be collated and will inform proposals for v10 of the CARES SCS scheme and its wider sustainability strategy. These proposals will then be publicised for further consultation. Final changes will then be determined by the CARES multi-stakeholder Sustainability Committee and the Executive.

 

The timetable of the proposed scheme development is summarised below: