World Steel Association, abbreviated as worldsteel, is the international industry association for the
iron
Iron is a chemical element; it has symbol Fe () and atomic number 26. It is a metal that belongs to the first transition series and group 8 of the periodic table. It is, by mass, the most common element on Earth, forming much of Earth's o ...
and
steel
Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon that demonstrates improved mechanical properties compared to the pure form of iron. Due to steel's high Young's modulus, elastic modulus, Yield (engineering), yield strength, Fracture, fracture strength a ...
sector. The association is one of the largest and most dynamic industry associations in the world, with members in every major steel-producing country. worldsteel represents steel producers, national and regional steel industry associations, and steel research institutes. Members represent around 85% of global steel production.
It is a non-profit organisation with its headquarters in
Brussels
Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...
,
Belgium
Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...
and a second office in
Beijing
Beijing, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's List of national capitals by population, most populous national capital city as well as ...
,
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
, whose purpose is to promote steel and the steel industry to customers, the industry, media and the general public.
Membership
Regular members consist of companies that have actual raw steel production, including steel alloys and stainless steel, and operate as independent commercial enterprises. State-controlled companies must be free to make their own economic and investment decisions and operate in a market-based economy.
Affiliated members consist of associations or federations of steel producers and any technical society or institute concerned with matters affecting the steel industry.
Areas of activity
The World Steel Association's key areas of activity include:
Safety and health:
The World Steel Association promotes a policy that ensures zero harm to any employee or contractor of the steel industry. The aim is to achieve an accident-free workplace across the industry.
Climate Action:
The World Steel Association has developed a global approach to tackle climate change. The World Steel Association has a policy paper on climate change and the production of iron and steel.
Economics:
The association publishes monthly production statistics and two annual statistical publications: the ''Steel Statistical Yearbook'' and ''World Steel in Figures''. Information on future trends is published twice a year, in the form of a short range outlook for steel demand.
Sustainability:
The association and its member companies have formulated a policy on sustainable development to measure the industry's economic, environmental and social performance. The World Steel Association publishes a sustainability report every year.
Automotive:
The World Auto Steel programme stimulates innovation and the use of steel in the automotive sector.
Technology:
Modern steelmaking relies on advanced technologies. worldsteel plays an important role in benchmarking best practices, helping its members improve their businesses. Representatives from member companies meet regularly to exchange information on technological, manufacturing and operational performance.
History
The World Steel Association was founded as the International Iron and Steel Institute (IISI) in
Brussels
Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...
,
Belgium
Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...
on 10 July 1967. IISI opened a second office in
Beijing
Beijing, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's List of national capitals by population, most populous national capital city as well as ...
,
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
, in April, 2006. The organisation changed its name to World Steel Association in October 2008.