According to me-metals, He emphasized that industrial sustainability and ESG governance have today become one of the main pillars of global competition for companies, and continued: Criteria related to carbon emissions, governance health, environmental risks, and social responsibility are now considered part of the company accreditation process, their rating, and the criterion for capital allocation. In the steel industry too, the rules of competition have changed, and issues such as product quality and final cost are no longer sufficient; these indicators have given way to indicators like green steel, energy efficiency, circular economy, transparency, and compliance with international standards.
According to Zarandi, the future outlook of Mobarakeh Steel Group is based on moving towards low-carbon steel. The main pillars of this transition are the development of hydrogen reduction technologies, strengthening the capacities of existing low-carbon methods, and increasing the share of renewable energies. Production with lower energy consumption, reduction of greenhouse gas emission intensity, and designing processes that align with sustainability criteria from the outset, shape the path to achieving global standards. The future competition in the steel industry will be held by companies that can offer products with a low carbon footprint, and Mobarakeh Steel has chosen this path as its strategic priority.
He emphasized that a significant part of this path relates to managing internal resources and developing the circular economy, and continued: Recycling production byproducts, reusing slag, scrap, and other wastes, has enabled the creation of new added value and reduced reliance on primary resources. Alongside these, digital transformation in production lines and reliance on data-driven approaches form a significant part of modern productivity. This set of actions demonstrates the fact that sustainable industrial development is not possible without innovation, technology, and a complete reassessment of the value chain.
The CEO of Mobarakeh Steel Group stated that the water crisis in Isfahan province has doubled the necessity for Mobarakeh Steel to pay attention to intelligent water resource management, and clarified: The development of massive urban wastewater utilization projects, industrial water recycling, reduced river withdrawal, and the project for transferring sustainable water resources have provided the path to water self-sufficiency. In the energy sector too, the implementation of large solar power plant projects, the development of wind power plants, and improving the efficiency of existing power plants demonstrate a long-term approach to reducing emissions and moving towards clean energy. Environmental protection is located at the core of the new strategy, not as a side activity.
He noted: Social responsibility only becomes meaningful when its impact is sustainable, extensive, and evidence-based. The new model of Mobarakeh Steel Group, instead of implementing scattered projects, is focused on impactful and systematic programs—programs that can improve people's lives on a wide scale. The national cancer screening plan for 1.7 million citizens of Isfahan province is an example of this new perspective that has turned public health into a real priority. Alongside this, the development of local businesses in East Isfahan, support for the innovation ecosystem, and the creation of sustainable job opportunities show that social responsibility is a part of Mobarakeh Steel's organizational identity, not a directive-based action.
In the final part of his speech, Zarandi described the combination of sustainability, innovation, social responsibility, and transparent governance as Mobarakeh Steel's future roadmap and stated: This perspective has placed Mobarakeh Steel in a position where it can simultaneously be an engine for the country's industrial development, a strengthener of social welfare, and a pioneer of green steel in the region. The future path of the steel industry in the world is defined by ESG criteria, and Mobarakeh Steel, by intelligently choosing this path, is an example of an industry that pursues economic development through responsible and environmentally compatible development.