The Steelie Awards recognise member companies for their contribution to the steel industry over a one-year period in a series of categories impacting the industry.
The 2026 timing is as follows:
- The opening date for entries is 1 May, and the closing date is 31 July.
- The shortlisted entries will be announced on 28 September.
- The winners will be revealed on 12 October.
The nomination selection process varies by award. Entries are judged by selected expert panels using agreed performance criteria.
Members requiring nomination forms for the 2026 edition can access them via this link on the worldsteel extranet.
Some general rules apply:
- Only entries from worldsteel members are accepted and all dues must have been paid
- An entry from multiple members will be accepted, but in the event of a tie, priority will be given to a single-member entry
- National and regional associations may only enter on behalf of their own organisation and not as a combined entry with all or some of their members
- Multiple entries from a single member will be accepted. But it should be noted that the Steelie experience is that quality wins over quantity. We recommend that maximum effort behind a few entries pays a better dividend
- By making an entry the member gives permission to worldsteel for the contents to be used for communications and promotion activities
- All markings and comments are confidential and will not be made available. The judges’ decisions are final.
Six Steelie Awards categories
Category 1 | Excellence in clean steel production
This Steelie Award is intended to recognise and celebrate steelmakers that are taking effective, implemented action to reduce the overall environmental footprint of iron and steel production, including climate-related impacts and other material environmental burdens.
Category 2 | Excellence in process and product innovation
The excellence in process and product innovation award recognises companies that have made significant achievements in process or product innovation, focusing on improvements in manufacturing performance, efficiency, yield, reliability and product development.
Category 3 | Excellence in sustainability
The excellence in sustainability award recognises a member company or a national or regional association for a specific sustainability initiative that has made a positive impact, or provided benefits in all three areas of sustainability – including economic, environmental and social performance. Additional criteria include the level of community/stakeholder communication & outreach related to the initiative.
Category 4 | Excellence in Life Cycle Assessment
This award recognises member companies that have played a key role in utilising the concept of life cycle thinking for overall environmental improvement in marketing and/or regulatory influence, project application and new product development. Member nominations in the form of a detailed questionnaire are called for by worldsteel.
Category 5 | Excellence in people
This award recognises member companies for their leadership in enhancing the skills of the steel workforce for today and tomorrow, looking at the effectiveness of training programmes, innovation in education initiatives, impact on the workforce, and overall leadership in advancing skills development within the steel industry.
Category 6 | Excellence in communications programmes
This award recognises investment and innovation in major communications programmes (internal and external) that promote the steel industry or steel as a competitive material. The programmes allowed to enter can be product promotion, corporate reputation (environment, sustainability, safety and local community/CSR) or employee communications programmes. The award covers all channels from advertising, print, marketing promotion and digital.
Please use the links on the side for more information on the winners over the years.