ACRS Sustainable Constructional Steel (SCS) Certification

The Australasian Certification Authority for Reinforcing and Structural Steels Ltd (ACRS) operates a sustainability certification scheme for firms in the Australian and New Zealand constructional steel supply chain.

About This Scheme

The ACRS Sustainable Constructional Steel (SCS) Certification scheme is governed by ADM 020 — ACRS SCS Certification Scheme Rules (Version 1.0, operative 4 June 2025). ACRS first issued SCS certificates in 2025. The scheme terminology and approach accords with:

• AS ISO 14050:2020 — Environmental management — Vocabulary
• AS ISO 20400:2017 — Sustainable procurement — Guidance
• AS/NZS ISO/IEC 17021.1:2015 — Conformity assessment — Requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of management systems

Purpose

The ACRS SCS scheme provides a framework for approved firms in the construction steel supply chain to:

• Declare product sustainability
• Disclose organisational management practices aligned with responsible sourcing, environmental stewardship, and ethical conduct
• Promote healthy materials, positive social impact, circularity, and continuous improvement toward internationally recognised sustainability standards

The scheme enables ACRS to collate information and publish an annual constructional steel sector sustainability report demonstrating continuous improvement of the supply chain.

Scheme Components

The ACRS SCS scheme consists of two components governed by the same Scheme Rules (ADM 020):

1. SCS Manufacturers Scheme (manufacturers/)

Also known as the ACRS-CARES SCS Scheme. Covers steel producers and manufacturers (upstream value chain). This component applies the highest global environmental, social, and ethical standards to steel production and is already used by many producers supplying the Australian and New Zealand markets.

2. SCS Processors and Traders Scheme (processors-and-traders/)

Covers the downstream steel value chain. Governed by the OPS 012 Operational Assessment Schedule and its annexes. Applicable to:

• Processors and Distributors of structural steels and reinforcing steel (bar, coil, mesh, couplers) to AS/NZS 4671, AS 3600, AS 5100.5, NZS 3109, and other standards acceptable to ACRS
• Traders of constructional and other steels — including purchase, supply, and sub-contracted transportation, warehousing, stocking, and distribution

Sustainability Areas (Processors and Traders)

The OPS 012 Operational Assessment Schedule for processors and traders evaluates five sustainability areas:

Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) Alignment

The SCS Processors and Traders Scheme is designed to align with and build on the principles of the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) Responsible Product Framework. Certified firms may:

• Use the ACRS Sustainability logo on their products
• Demonstrate responsible practices to clients, specifiers, engineers, contractors, and other stakeholders
• Gain credits toward the GBCA Green Star rating system — up to 25% of rating tool points may be awarded to products that have achieved recognised certification and been awarded a Responsible Products Value (RPV)

Certification Outcomes

Further Information

• Website: www.steelcertification.com
• Executive Director: Andrew Wheeler — awheeler@steelcertification.com
• Address: PO Box 1369, Crows Nest NSW 1585, Australia
• Scheme Rules: ADM 020 (available on the ACRS website)
• Processors and Traders Assessment Schedule: OPS 012 (available on the ACRS website)