GMH Gruppe joins Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). Research-grounded climate protection aligned with the Paris Agreement

As part of GMH Gruppe's journey towards achieving climate neutrality by 2039, the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) will now support and document the company's processes and progress in reaching "net zero" emissions.

The SBTi is a collaborative effort involving the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), the United Nations Global Compact, the World Resources Institute (WIR), and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). The science-backed initiative aims to guide companies on their path to climate neutrality in an effort to prevent catastrophic levels of global warming. Joining the SBTi involves a validation process for the climate targets the companies set, as well as a general commitment to achieving "net zero" CO₂ emissions by 2050.

“For GMH Gruppe, participation in the international SBT initiative is a natural step in the fight against global warming, allowing us to pursue our objectives with greater consistency and transparency”, says Dr. Alexander Becker, CEO of GMH Gruppe. “In addition to reducing direct emissions in the production process (Scope 1) and through external energy input (Scope 2), our focus is on significantly lowering climate-impacting emissions in the supply chain (Scope 3). This means carefully selecting suppliers who are equally committed to environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards, assessing their planned CO₂ reductions and ensuring their transparent reporting. This approach aligns with our goal of a climate-neutral economy”, he explains. “By offering high-quality, low-emission steel grades, we support our customers on their journey to a sustainable future.”

The Group is dedicated to producing steel products in a climate-neutral manner by 2039. Thirty years ago, Georgsmarienhütte transitioned to electric steel melting, enabling up to an 80% reduction in CO₂ emissions compared to traditional blast furnace production. GMH Gruppe aims to halve greenhouse gas emissions (Scope 1+2) by 2030 and reduce them by an additional 27.5% through the supply chain (Scope 3). This vision is backed by a detailed roadmap, with partner companies playing a key role.

As a pioneer in sustainable steel production in Germany, GMH Gruppe is continually expanding its low-emission steel offerings under various Green Steel standards. The company is also shifting from fossil-based electricity towards renewable-based electricity and from fossil coal to biogenetic carbon. Another cornerstone of GMH Gruppe's CO₂ reduction strategy involves preparing for a hydrogen-based industrial process conversion. To this end, GMH Gruppe is upgrading its furnaces and manufacturing processes to be hydrogen-compatible wherever feasible, aiming to be H₂-ready once the supply is stable.

Since 2022, GMH Gruppe has been part of the "Verband der Klimaschutzunternehmen e.V", a national association of companies leading climate protection and energy efficiency in Germany. By joining the SBTi, GMH Gruppe has elevated its commitment to transparency and transformation onto a global stage, joining 8,000 companies worldwide that are emphasizing the critical role of emissions-intensive industries in the fight against climate change.