Jindal Steel Limited, an India-based steel producer, has been able to enter the 2026 Sustainability Yearbook, which represents a major step forward in its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance and transparency. The achievement has been made possible by a dramatic increase in the company’s Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA) score, which increased from 30 to 72 out of 100, as well as a near doubling of its overall ESG score, from 37 to 74.
According to the information provided by the company, its performance allowed it to enter the list of only 11 steel companies worldwide that were selected for the Yearbook out of 129 companies assessed in the industry.
Substantial Progress in ESG Governance and Transparency
The ESG development of the company has been primarily driven by enhanced governance structures, transparency, and disclosure. Jindal Steel has demonstrated a 96% level of public disclosure and has scored a perfect 100/100 on transparency and disclosure, which is substantially better than the average transparency score of 46 for the steel industry.
The Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA) is a globally recognized ESG assessment framework, administered by S&P Global, which serves as the basis for inclusion in the Sustainability Yearbook. The assessment evaluates the corporate performance on a variety of sustainability criteria such as environmental management, climate action, corporate governance, supply chain resilience, and social impact.
Environmental Performance in a Hard-to-Abate Industry
Steel manufacturing is generally identified as one of the most greenhouse gas-emitting industrial processes, contributing 7-9% of global CO2 emissions, as estimated by the International Energy Agency. In this context, the environmental performance data of Jindal Steel shows substantial improvement in the governance of decarbonization and the implementation of environmental policies.
The company scored 99 out of 100 in Environmental Policy & Management and a perfect 100 out of 100 in Climate Governance. These scores show the systematic management of climate risks, the use of emissions tracking systems, and sustainability-linked operational practices that are in line with international ESG standards.
According to Naveen Ahlawat, President and Head of Sustainability and Decarbonization at Jindal Steel, “The achievement is a result of improved governance systems, better disclosure quality, and a deliberate approach to integrate accountability frameworks throughout the organization. The company’s long-term vision is to create a ‘low-carbon, safe, and resilient steel business.’”
Strategic Context: India’s Steel and Sustainability Transition
The ESG achievement of Jindal Steel happens at a moment when the Indian steel industry is increasingly faced with regulatory and market forces to go green and reduce carbon emissions. The Indian Government has been encouraging green steel projects and carbon efficiency upgrades as part of its overall commitment to climate change as a signatory to the Paris Agreement, and the steel industry has a crucial role to play in infrastructure and manufacturing development.
Jindal Steel, as a leading integrated steel manufacturer in India, has a mine-to-metal production system at its main plants in Angul (Odisha), Raigarh (Chhattisgarh), and Patratu (Jharkhand). The investment footprint of the company is in excess of USD 12 billion, supporting large-scale infrastructure, energy, and construction value chains in India and abroad.
Industry Implications and Global ESG Positioning
Being included in the Sustainability Yearbook has become a benchmark of ESG maturity and risk management expertise in the eyes of investors. Only the best-performing companies in their respective industry categories are selected based on percentile rankings in the CSA framework, as outlined in the Sustainability Yearbook methodology reports of S&P Global.
In the steel industry, companies with high ESG scores may have implications for green funding, investor trust, and the issuance of sustainability-linked instruments. Analysts have observed that the transparency of ESG performance is emerging as a new key differentiator in the face of global markets, including the EU and Japan, adopting carbon border adjustment mechanisms and more stringent supply chain disclosure requirements.
In general, the recognition of Jindal Steel in the 2026 Sustainability Yearbook represents a wider structural change in the Indian steel industry as a whole, with a focus on more stringent ESG disclosure requirements, more effective climate governance structures, and a sustainability-driven transformation of operations in an industry that has traditionally been known for its high emissions and resource intensity. As the global regulatory squeeze continues to mount, especially through tools such as carbon border adjustment mechanisms and more stringent supply chain due diligence obligations, Indian steel companies are increasingly forced to fall in line with global environmental standards. In this regard, greater transparency, more effective decarbonization planning, and governance accountability are no longer niceties but imperatives.
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BASUNDE, Rohini（Global PR & Reporter ）
Based in India, Rohini works as a Reporter and Global PR professional,
leveraging her strong background in culture, society, and media studies.
Her work primarily involves article writing and managing global public relations campaigns.
Her core areas of interest are multiculturalism, intercultural understanding, and cross-cultural communication,
through which she disseminates information from a truly international perspective.
Hobbies: Drawing, photography, editing, traveling, and cooking.
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