CARES has released its Sustainable Constructional Steel Scheme Sector Report 2016/17. It demonstrates how a CARES-approved supply chain for constructional steel can help reduce business risk and provide top-line benefits.

The report lists the 32 companies from 10 countries who are currently CARES-approved suppliers within the Sustainable Constructional Steel (SCS) scheme. It also describes the benefits of being a CARES-approved supplier.

CARES’s Chairman, Professor Les Clark, OBE says: “In September 2015, the UN launched one of the most important initiatives of our time, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) or the Global Goals. Developed and backed by multiple stakeholders, these 17 goals provide a vision to transform our world. The CARES SCS Scheme, operating since 2011, reflects how the constructional steels industry supports the intent of these goals. Steel, indefinitely recyclable, lends itself well to SDG #12 - Responsible Production and Consumption, within a circular economy. Over time we will work to align the Scheme to the relevant SDG’s.”

The report includes:

• the performance for 2015 and 2016 against a selection of key metrics for producers which use recycled steel in production;
• the new targets to 2020 set from a 2015 baseline and
• a mini procurement guide for users that want to specify the scheme, and describes the benefits of the scheme from the perspective of contractors.

The CARES SCS scheme is the first responsible sourcing scheme in the UK that is independently accredited by UKAS to the rigorous requirements of BS 8902:2009 - Responsible sourcing sector certification schemes for construction products.

The key features and benefits of the scheme are:

• Raw materials are fully traceable to their supplier.

• All approved companies have ISO 14001 environmental management system, OHSAS 18001 health and safety management system and ISO 9001 quality management system certificates.
• Independently verified environmental product declaration (EPD to EN 15804) or validated carbon footprint data.
• Quality assured product to BS 4449, BS 4482, BS 4483 and BS 8666.
• Meets the requirements of the UK government’s Procurement Policy Note – Procuring steel in major projects.