Sustainable Constructional Steel v10 Consultation
CARES Sustainable Constructional
Steel (SCS) Certification Scheme
Final Public Consultation on
Version 10
Consultation information and
explanation
Consultation is open between:
1st December 2025 and 16th January 2026
Introduction
The objective of the SCS scheme is to enable approved firms to
demonstrate sustainability management and performance through high quality
independent 3rd party certification. This provides reliable information and
data to enable construction stakeholders to make informed decisions that drives
asset level sustainability performance and responsible sourcing.
Operating since 2009, the scheme is currently in its 9th Version. As part of
CARES governance and the scheme accreditation to BS8902 it is subject to
regular review and new versions are developed and introduced every 3 to 5
years.
Version 10 has been under development for the past two years and earlier
proposals for changes to V9 of the scheme have been subject to substantive
public consultation, including through; the CARES Sustainability Committee,
stakeholder days across many different geographies, 1:1 meetings with
interested parties, Scheme Manager, Auditor and CARES employee interaction with
approved firms, a public 60 day consultation, and open invitation to feedback.
This consultation is for a final review of the following documents with
the rationale for this stated:
• Scheme Guidance documents. These are new documents which
contain the requirements within the Operational Assessment Schedules (OAS) as
well as updated guidance, previously held within the Annex 1 Self-Assessment
and Audit workbook. They are split into 3 versions: 1 for Steel Manufacturers (Steel Mills and Rolling Mills), 1
for Traders and 1 for Fabricators. To assist you in
completing the survey links to Steel Manufacturers, Traders and Fabricators.
• Scheme Glossary. The Scheme Glossary is a new document which
applies across the scheme which takes its content from guidance previously held
in OAS, Annex 1 and from the newly developed Steel Standards Principles
Glossary. To assist you in completing the survey link to Scheme Glossary.
The following Scheme documents are outside of the scope of this
consultation for the rationale stated:
• The Scheme Operational Assessment Schedules. The content for the Scheme Operational Assessment Schedules is
contained within the more detailed Guidance documents. Any changes to the
Scheme Guidance documents will be reflected in the Operational Assessment
Schedules series further to the consultation.
• The Scheme’s Annex 1 – Self-Assessment and Audit workbooks. These
xls workbooks are based on the Scheme OAS and the Guidance documents which
include information on credit scores and rating. Any changes to the Scheme
Guidance documents will be reflected in the Annex 1 – Self-Assessment and
Audit workbook further to the consultation.
• The SCS Scheme Manual defines the certification rules and
application of them, as well as outlining the scheme governance requirements
and has not changed.
• The procedures in operation at the time of the audit are documented and
maintained in Annex 2 - Schedule of Operations, which is also not
changing.
Timeline
Call to Action
Please download and review the guidance document most relevant to you,
the Glossary if you wish, and complete the short, structured consultation
survey available through this link. There are open questions to enable you to
provide open feedback about any aspect of the Scheme and its implementation in
addition to the structured questions.
The survey takes approximately 10 minutes to complete in addition to the
document review.
Changes between v9 and v10
The main changes between v9 and 10 are as follows. Detailed changes to
support implementation will be made available in a Change log and in tracked
changes versions of key scheme documents.
|
v9 Documents |
v10 Documents |
Key changes |
|
SCS Scheme Manual |
SCS Scheme Manual |
Design only |
|
SCS Operational Assessment Schedule (OAS) |
SCS Operational Assessment Schedule – Steel Mills and Rolling Mills SCS Operational Assessment Schedule – Traders SCS Operational Assessment Schedule – Fabricators |
Separation of Operational Assessment Schedule into series of 3 to
target different steel supply chain stages. Introduction of a SCS Traders scheme. Updated referencing to align with all other scheme documents. Updates and additions to various sections to reflect feedback from
consultations, harmonisation with other relevant standards and best practice. |
|
- |
SCS
Scheme Guidance – Steel Mills and Rolling Mills SCS
Scheme Guidance – Traders SCS
Scheme Guidance – Fabricators |
Guidance
withdrawn from OAS and Annex 1- Self-Assessment and Audit Workbook and placed
in new series of 3 Guidance documents to make guidance relevant for the
intended user only, rather than shared across steel mills, fabricators and
traders which all have different needs. Produced
separately to reduce content within and improve usability of Annex 1 and to
be read alongside Annex 1, when completing it in preparation for an audit. Guidance
rationalised and developed to reflect industry and standardisation
developments. Inclusion
of mandatory normative guidance. |
|
SCS
Sustainable Constructional Steel Workbook (Annex 1) |
Annex 1:
Self-Assessment and Audit Workbook – Steel Mills and Rolling Mills Annex 1:
Self-Assessment and Audit Workbook – Traders Annex 1:
Self-Assessment and Audit Workbook – Fabricators |
Creation
of 3 Annex 1 workbooks, one for each steel supply chain stage. Removal
of Guidance to separate Guidance documents reducing volume of information in the
xls and making it easier to navigate and use. Update of
the Requirements and Scoring worksheet. Updated
referencing and criteria to align with all other scheme documents. Enhancement
of the Rosette Rating System (RRS), including the addition of additional
scoring and alignment to revised guidance and OAS. |
|
- |
Glossary |
Introduction
of a Scheme Glossary, removing all definitions from all other scheme
documents and collating them in one single place. Aligning
to the Steel Standards Principles glossary. |
|
Certificate
and Balanced Scorecard |
Certificate
and Balanced Scorecard |
The
Certificate and Balanced Scorecard, will be subject to review in the
transition period. |
|
Sector
Targets (published in CARES Annual Sector Sustainability Report) |
Sector
Targets (published in CARES Annual Sector Sustainability Report) |
Sector
Targets ran until the end of the 2025 reporting period. Sector targets to
2030 and 2050 will be reviewed during the transition period. |
|
|
All
scheme documents |
Enhanced
design and formatting to improve usability throughout. |
|
Criteria
changes and enhancements |
||
|
|
See
Change log for detailed changes (available in 2026) |
Multiple
editorial and content updates to improve scheme and to refocus on specific
value chain stages. Renumbered
as required. |
|
Grievance
Mechanism |
Grievance
Mechanism |
Moved and
guidance clarified |
|
Ethical Supply Chain Practices (Responsible Sourcing)/Human Rights Due
Diligence |
Ethical Supply Chain Practices (Responsible Sourcing) |
Clauses combined
and edited to align more closely to OECD due diligence requirements and to
streamline into logical sequence. |
|
Closure and decommissioning |
Significant changes, closure and decommissioning |
Edited to
include significant changes as well as closure and decommissioning. |
|
Renewable and low carbon energy |
Renewable and low carbon energy |
Expanded criterion to include low carbon energy instead of only
renewables. Clarification of rules around REC’s and low carbon sources. |
|
Water use |
Water use and stewardship |
Scope clarified to include stewardship |
|
Biodiversity |
Biodiversity |
Series of criteria edited to ensure up to date and to include TNFD |
|
Global Warming Potential (GWP) and Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) |
Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions and Global Warming Potential (GWP) |
Guidance updated to draw attention to CARES support for the Steel
Standards Principles (SSP). CARES Decarbonisation label introduced. Maximum
GHG emissions thresholds withdrawn. Performance thresholds updated to reflect
SBTi method and alignment to accepted industry pathways. Updated standards
references. New GWP data point at first point of semi product production
introduced to align to SSP. |
|
Human rights and ethical labour practices |
Human rights, non-discrimination and ethical labour practices |
Edited criteria to clarify focus on direct employee impacts (with
wider supply chain impacts removed to Responsible Sourcing section). Updated
guidance, updated numbering throughout, new Fair disciplinary practices, Employee
satisfaction measurement, Employee wellbeing and Workplace hygiene criteria. |
|
Innovation |
Innovation |
Updated guidance and new criterion to incentivise sustainable
innovations |
Benefits of v10
Certification to the Sustainable Constructional Steels Scheme enables
construction sector clients and others stakeholders to gain confidence in the
provenance and responsible sourcing management practices and performance of
constructional steels from materials sourcing, steel production, steel products
and fabrication.
Version 10 reflects latest expectations of the construction industry, leading
practices in responsible and sustainable steel value chains and supports
alignment and harmonisation across similar standards. It supports firms in
meeting legal requirements and can be used to promote corporate and product
responsible and sustainable practices and claims as defined in the Guidance.
Approved firms can use the framework of the SCS scheme to drive
performance improvements and meet stakeholder expectations.