Impact and dependencies assessment
U.S. Steel has not holistically assessed its impacts or how it depends on nature, including biodiversity. It has an opportunity to start such an assessment across its value chains, focused on quantification of its impacts or dependencies.
Key areas and species
U.S. Steel does not disclose key species or areas important for biodiversity affected by its operations or suppliers. It has an opportunity to increase its transparency.
Ecosystem conversion and restoration
No evidence was found regarding U.S. Steel’s efforts to avoid ecosystem conversion, including deforestation, or promote restoration. While the company discloses some details of the restoration and remediation project to land adjacent to its operation sites through natural reclamation and redevelopment, the details provided are insufficient to be able to assess whether the restoration efforts undertaken are aiming at restoring converted land to previous ecological states pre-activity. The company has an opportunity to develop a strategy and publicly report on specific, time-bound targets.
Resource exploitation and circularity
No evidence was found regarding U.S. Steel’s efforts to work towards a circular economy or which organisms it exploits. The company has an opportunity to develop a strategy and publicly report on specific, time-bound targets. The company does not disclose efforts to improve soil health.
Water
No evidence that U.S. Steel reduces water withdrawal across the company’s own operations was found. The company does not disclose a time-bound target to reduce water withdrawal across its own operations. The company does not report how much water is withdrawn for its own operations in water-stressed areas. The company does not engage with suppliers to reduce water withdrawal. While the company mentions maintaining treatment plants, but no evidence was found where the company actively reduces water quality pressures. The company manages process water through chemical and physical processes, including pH control, precipitation and filtration. The company does not regularly report on water pollution. The company does not disclose targets to reduce water pollution.
U.S. Steel does not disclose a commitment to respect the right to water. The company does not disclose its processes for implementing preventive and corrective action plans for identified specific risks to the right to water and sanitation in its own operations.
Solid and air pollution
No evidence that U.S. Steel is reducing the production of hazardous waste was found. No evidence that the company reduces plastic use and waste in its own operations was found. The company does not report on the amount of plastic waste generated and proportions directed from or to disposal. The company reports regularly on air quality parameters of emissions of harmful air pollutants, disclosing its amount of NOx, SO2, VOC, CO, Lead, PM10 and PM2.5 produced. While the company mentions its plan to set goals on NOx emission reduction in 2021, no evidence the company discloses updates and details on such target.
GHG emissions
No evidence that U.S. Steel reduces its scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions compared to the previous year. The company sets a time-bound target to achieve net-zero for scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2050 but does not report progress against the target. It is also unclear whether the target is aligned with a 1.5-degree trajectory. The company does not disclose any scope 3 emissions, nor has it set a time-bound reduction target.
Invasive species
U.S. Steel has not identified any activities that could lead to the introduction of invasive alien species in its own operations.