Natural capital
Gerdau's management system seeks to balance the economic, social and environmental pillars and our practices are aligned with the concept of circular economy.
Circular Economy
We understand that circular economy is what will guide the future of companies. The steel industry is one of the sectors that has contributed to the transition from a linear to a circular economy due to the infinite recyclability of steel and its durability, allowing it to be recycled, reused and remanufactured.
In the circular economy model, products, or part of them, are reused, repaired and recycled. This type of economy seeks to rebuild capital, whether financial, industrial, human, social or natural. Therefore, it enables greater efficiency in the management of natural resources and improves the well-being of the entire society.
This model replaces the linear model, in which products are manufactured from raw materials and then discarded at the end of their useful lives.
Gerdau
Gerdau has at its disposal modern methodologies for the reutilization of waste and materials generated in secondary processes during steel production. These are later to be used in new products with numerous applications. Known as co-products, these are used in several segments, such as paving roads, railway ballast, foundries, cement and ceramic manufacturing. In 2018, the company reused 77% of its co-products globally, which generated revenue of R $ 302 million in the year.
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Reciclagem
Gerdau is the largest ferrous scrap recycler in Latin America and, annually, transforms more than 12 million tons of scrap into new steel products. In 2018, 73% of the steel produced by the Company was made using scrap as the main raw material. This is one of Gerdau's main contributions to the environment, as it removes obsolete materials from cities and, at the same time, reduces energy consumption and CO2 emissions in steel production, generating jobs and income for a wide network from suppliers.
Renováveis
Gerdau uses as a renewable energy source known as a bioreducer - charcoal from planted forests - used to replace carbon in some of the Company's units that use the blast furnace in its production process. The production of steel through charcoal, which is a renewable biomass, which contributes to the mitigation of environmental impacts in the reduction of greenhouse gases and, in addition, has a significant potential to contribute to combating climate change.