The EcoVadis audit is performed annually and Saarstahl had already successfully positioned itself in previous years as a sustainable company. Saarstahl further improved its overall result in 2020 and, with 67 points, is among the top three percent of companies in its industry category. The rating is valid for the year 2020.

"The gold award from EcoVadis is an acknowledgment of Saarstahl’s many years of commitment to sustainability," said Chairman of the Board of Management Tim Hartmann. "The rating clearly shows that we as a steel industry are aware of our responsibility to our employees, our customers and our business partners as well as to the environment and that sustainable action is firmly embedded in our corporate culture. Especially in times of crisis like today, these values are of central importance. Our goal is to continuously improve here."

The EcoVadis rating is based on a defined scorecard. This scorecard also incorporates the criteria of the Global Reporting Initiative, the United Nations Global Compact and the International Organization for Standardization in the areas of environment, labor practices, fair business practices and sustainability in procurement. The establishment of specific evaluation criteria enables a worldwide comparison of companies certified by EcoVadis.

Saarstahl, SHS – Stahl-Holding-Saar and Dillinger also published their first joint sustainability report at the end of last year. "This shows that we are producing steel in the most modern and sustainable way and are contributing to more environmentally friendly steel production," Tim Hartmann emphasized. "This must be maintained," he continued. "In view of the Corona crisis, it is urgent for precisely this reason that the underlying conditions for our steel in Europe to be made absolutely fair. The path to the green transformation must also be cleared this year so that carbon-neutral production of steel can be achieved in Germany and Saarland.