About the Sustainability Statements
Acknowledging current challenges
TSN operates in a context where significant environmental, social and compliance-related challenges exist. These include the environmental impact of steelmaking, concerns from local communities, regulatory scrutiny, the need to reduce emissions and nuisance, and the impact of organisational transformation on employees.
TSN recognises that, in several areas, its management systems, controls, (quality and reliability of) data and performance are not yet at the level it aims to achieve. We therefore prioritise strengthening HSE management, improving environmental performance, reinforcing risk management and compliance processes, and increasing the reliability and consistency of data. These priorities form part of a broader transition in which TSN is working to improve both its production processes and the way it manages, monitors and controls its impacts. Notwithstanding these (inherent) limitations TSN chose to disclose extensive sustainability statements on a voluntary and best efforts basis to provide
transparency as to its sustainability related impacts, risks and opportunities. The Sustainability Statements have not been subject to assurance by the external auditor or other assurance provider.
Learning from stakeholders and improving the organisation
TSN seeks to learn from stakeholder input, regulatory findings, internal assessments and the outcome of its own reporting processes. Dialogue with employees, local communities, regulators, customers, suppliers and other stakeholders helps the company to better understand expectations, concerns and priorities. This input informs the assessment of material topics and supports the development of actions and improvement programmes.
At the same time, TSN is strengthening its organisation. This includes the HSE Turnaround Programme, the development of a more integrated Risk & Compliance framework, improvements in sustainability reporting and controls, and work to enhance data quality, governance and accountability. These developments form part of a multi-year effort and should not be viewed as complete.
How to read the Sustainability Statements
The chapters preceding the Sustainability Statements set out the strategic, operational, financial and governance context for Tata Steel Nederland’s activities during the reporting period. They describe TSN’s business model, strategy, transformation agenda, governance, risk management, stakeholder engagement and performance, including the Green Steel Project, the SCALE transformation programme and Licence to Operate priorities.
The Sustainability Statements complement these chapters by providing more structured and granular disclosures on TSN’s material sustainability related impacts, risks and opportunities. The Sustainability Statements have been prepared on a voluntary basis and largely align with the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS). The Sustainability Statements include information on policies, actions, metrics and targets, as well as reporting boundaries, methodologies, assumptions and data limitations.
Given TSN’s context described above, the Sustainability Statements are more than a compliance-oriented reporting. They also support internal discipline and transparency by requiring TSN to identify, document and disclose material impacts, risks and opportunities in a structured way. This helps to make progress, gaps, assumptions and limitations more visible, both internally and externally.
Cross-references are used to connect both parts of the Annual Report and to avoid unnecessary duplication. Taken together, they provide an overview of TSN’s current position, the challenges it faces and the steps being taken to strengthen environmental and social performance, internal control and organisational capability.