Our mission
The Sustainable World through Steels ecosystem aims to decarbonise the steel and mechanical engineering sectors.
Mission
1. Innovate high-strength steel grades and industrial applications with superior material performance and energy efficiency
2. Transform Finland’s steel production from a traditional base-industry model into a modern, efficient, and sustainable manufacturing system
3. Boost circularity and value-added creation of fossil-free steels in the marine, energy, automotive, and construction value chains
4. Decarbonize steel manufacturing to support Europe’s green transition and long-term resilience
Summary
The Sustainable World through Steels ecosystem aims to decarbonise the steel and mechanical engineering sectors, which are among the world’s major sources of CO₂ emissions. High-strength, fossil-free steels will enable lighter, more efficient, and more profitable products in the marine, automotive, construction, and energy sectors, delivering significant CO₂ emission reductions across both steel production and product life cycles.
The ecosystem aims to transform Finland’s steel industry into a modern, resilient, efficient, and low-carbon system by 2035.
The challenges addressed by Sustainable World through Steels are global in nature, as steel is an irreplaceable material in virtually every country. Although research and development will take place in Finland – providing the country with a first-mover advantage - the solutions developed through the program will be applied and leveraged to solve challenges across Europe and globally.
The ecosystem brings together actors from across the steel industry and beyond including end users, steel producers and technology developers, recycling and chemical companies, digitalization companies, as well as leading research centres and universities. Through Sustainable World through Steels, steelmakers will be able to export higher volumes of higher-value steels, steel end users will export more competitive products, and digital and technology developers will export solutions that are in strong global demand.
Sustainable World through Steels aligns with Finland’s and the EU’s objectives for security of supply, carbon neutrality, increased R&D intensity, and industrial resilience. By establishing knowledge hubs in Raahe and Oulu, the program will position Finland as a global lighthouse for fossil-free steel production and implementation expertise.
The roadmap is structured around four thematic R&D themes, all supported by cross-cutting elements such as digitalization, artificial intelligence and autonomous systems, and coordinated through an ecosystem leadership package. Each research theme includes derined research questions and structured ecosystem collaboration.
In addition to the technological dimensions, the project also integrates economic, market, and societal impact analysis to ensure that the transformation supports sustainable business growth, employment, and regional development in Finland.
This work forms part of the preparatory development necessary for a planned investment in a new low-carbon steel mill in Raahe. The challenges to be addressed are significant, and SSAB needs close collaboration with Finnish industry to overcome them through a joint effort.
Sustainable World through Steels is guided by a strategic roadmap for 2030–2035, developed in close cooperation with universities, research institutions, and industrial partners.
