ArcelorMittal publishes LESS classifications for selected XCarb® products

ArcelorMittal has today published Low Emission Steel Standard (LESS) classifications for selected European steel products manufactured under its XCarb® brand. The LESS classifications categorise steel producers’ decarbonisation efforts, ranging from low-emission (A-E) to near-zero.

By providing the LESS classifications of the XCarb® products, ArcelorMittal is reinforcing its commitment to transparency in low-emissions steel and helping customers to compare products more easily.

As an active member of the Low Emission Steel Standard (LESS) initiative, ArcelorMittal supports the development of a common and comparable framework for assessing the carbon intensity of steel products. The company is a founding member of LESS and contributes to its ongoing development. ArcelorMittal Belgium CEO Frederik Van De Velde is a member of the LESS Board of Directors and the company is also an active member of the Advisory Board.

In 2025, ArcelorMittal entities in Belgium, France, Luxembourg and Spain joined the Low Emission Steel Standard (LESS), in addition to ArcelorMittal Germany which was a founding member of the initiative, joining in 2024.

^{Establishing a harmonised and credible standard for low emission steel is key to ensuring transparency, comparability and trust across the steel value chain. It can also serve as an important foundation for the development of lead markets for low-emission steel by enabling clear differentiation of low-emission products. With the publication of classifications for two production routes, our XCarb® recycled and renewably produced coils and heavy plates, ArcelorMittal is taking an important first step and intends to seek further classifications over time This is an impressive achievement by the teams involved and I would like to thank them for their dedication to this project.”} 

The published LESS classifications cover products manufactured at ArcelorMittal’s European production sites in Sestao and Gijón, Spain:

• Hot rolled coils produced in Sestao via the electric arc furnace (EAF) route

• Heavy plates produced in Charleroi, Belgium, and rolled in Gijón, also via the electric arc furnace (EAF) route

The achieved LESS classifications are as follows:

• XCarb® recycled and renewably produced coils from Sestao: LESS B

• XCarb® recycled and renewably produced heavy plates (Charleroi / Gijón): LESS B

While LESS is a voluntary standard that supports industrial decarbonisation, steel producers representing almost 45% of steel production in Europe have joined the initiative, marking a significant step towards a unified and credible labelling system for low carbon-emissions steel in Europe.

Available across both flat and long products, XCarb® recycled and renewably produced steel represents the next generation of low-carbon steelmaking. Produced using high levels of recycled scrap in an Electric Arc Furnace powered exclusively by 100% renewable electricity, this solution delivers steel with a very low CO2 footprint, enabling our customers to reduce the global CO2 footprint of their projects, products, and finished goods.

The renewable electricity used is independently verified via a Guarantee of Origin, backed by Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), ensuring transparency and traceability throughout the process.

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About XCarb®

XCarb® is ArcelorMittal’s global umbrella brand for low, reduced and net-zero carbon steel, as well as for its broader decarbonisation initiatives. It includes steel produced using high shares of recycled scrap in electric arc furnaces powered with renewable electricity, alongside products linked to certified emission reductions across the value chain. XCarb® provides customers with steel solutions that support their own decarbonisation objectives while ensuring a high level of transparency on emissions performance.

About the Low Emission Steel Standard (LESS)

LESS is a classification framework used to assess and categorise the CO₂ emission intensity of steel products based on defined methodological criteria. It applies a scale ranging from E to A, as well as “Near Zero”, to support transparency and comparability across the industry.

The classifications published here represent a point-in-time assessment based on the defined scope and methodology of the LESS Standard and do not constitute forward-looking statements. By publishing these classifications, ArcelorMittal complements its existing environmental and sustainability reporting and provides additional transparency on the emissions intensity of selected products. The Low Emission Steel Standard (LESS) provides a structured framework for the verification, classification and labelling of low emission steel. The standard is owned by LESS AISBL, a non profit organisation based in Brussels, and aims to enhance transparency and comparability within the European steel industry.