09/02/2024
Gerdau improves CDP score
Brazil’s largest steel producer won the “Excellence in communications programmes” category for the case story about its partnership with Rock in Rio
São Paulo, October 16, 2023 – Gerdau, Brazil’s largest steel producer, is the winner, for the second straight year, of the 14th edition of the Steelie Awards 2023, the preeminent awards in the global steel industry, given by the World Steel Association (worldsteel) to member companies for their contributions to the steel industry over a one-year period.
The company was recognized for its branding case study, which tells the story of its partnership with Rock in Rio Brazil 2022, in which the festival’s main stage – the World Stage – was built with over 200 tonnes of 100% recyclable steel from Gerdau. Gerdau was the event’s official steel supplier, bringing the concepts of sustainability and circular economy to one of the world’s largest music and entertainment festivals. The awards ceremony was held on Monday (Oct. 16) during the Worldsteel Annual Conference held in Shanghai, China. Gerdau was represented by André Bier Gerdau Johannpeter, vice chairman of the board of directors.
“It’s an honor to receive, for the second time in a row, the most important award in the global steel industry, which underscores the social and environmental importance of the scrap recycling chain and the union of companies and people to build a more sustainable and innovative future in which steel will play a leading role,” said Gustavo Werneck, CEO of Gerdau.
For Pedro Torres, director of communication and institutional relations at Gerdau, winning the “Excellence in communications programmes”category reinforces the company’s commitment to strengthening dialogue with society. “Taking Gerdau’s 100% recyclable, low-carbon steel to one of the world’s largest music and entertainment festivals helped expand our communications with all our stakeholders, engage people to reflect on recycling and the circular economy, and decommoditize the steel industry. The initiative also shows our journey of transforming the global image and reputation of the steel industry,” he added.
About Gerdau
With a history spanning 122 years, Gerdau is Brazil’s largest steel producer and one of the leading producers of long steel in the Americas and special steel in the world. In Brazil, Gerdau also produces flat steel and iron ore for its own use. It also has a new business division, Gerdau Next, which fosters entrepreneurship in segments adjacent to the steel industry. Guided by its purpose of empowering people who build the future, the company operates in nine countries and has over 36,000 direct and indirect employees. Gerdau is the largest recycling company in Latin America and uses scrap as an important input: 71% of its steel is produced from scrap. Every year, Gerdau transforms 11 million tonnes of scrap into a variety of steel products. The Company is also the world’s largest charcoal producer, with over 250,000 hectares of planted forests in the state of Minas Gerais. As a result of its sustainable production matrix, Gerdau currently has one of the industry’s lowest average greenhouse gas emissions (CO₂e) of 0.89 t/CO₂e per tonne of steel, which is about half the global industry average of 1.91 t/CO₂e per tonne of steel (worldsteel). Gerdau’s target is to reduce its carbon emissions to 0.83 t/CO₂e per tonne of steel by 2031. Gerdau’s shares are listed on the São Paulo (B3), New York (NYSE) and Madrid (Latibex) stock exchanges.
