Decarbonising life

Stainless steel. It’s in buildings that you share with a loved one, and in ships that can take you on an adventure far away. It’s in a machine that keeps a baby warm, in a pan that has cooked meals for three generations, and in a bridge that unites two who are separated.

So if you really think about it, the stainless steel industry is not only decarbonising steel, it's decarbonising life. If you want to build new ways for bicycles, railroads for greener commute, long lasting accessories, new energy efficient washing machines or medical devices with superior cleanability, strength and corrosion resistance, you need sustainable stainless steel.

The wisest operators already realise the whole industry needs to accelerate circularity to be sustainable, and to make the best possible stainless steel commercially available. That means taking everything into account holistically: energy, logistics, recycling, raw materials, people, factories, new business models and innovation, everything.

Our own carbon footprint is already 70% smaller than the global industry average. Key factors behind this include Outokumpu’s own ferrochrome production, the highest recycled material rate in the sector of over 90%, and the use of low-carbon electricity. Now imagine if this would already be a global standard? We have set strict targets for the future, and we want Outokumpu to be seen as the pace setter in our industry.

It's normal and easy to highlight achievements. Like how it’s possible to reach an unprecedented emission reduction of 92% below global average with improvements throughout the whole stainless steel production chain. It is much harder to ask the tough questions that challenge the industry as a whole. But that is exactly what visionary companies that drive change have to do. The targets have been set, so it’s time to make them a reality. Let’s accelerate and work towards a world that lasts forever together.

Please join us here at Accelerate Circularity to read more about our vision and action on the road to net-zero.