The International Iron and Steel Institute (IISI) was established on 10 July 1967.
At the beginning, there were 18 founding members from seven European countries plus Australia, Canada, Japan and the US.
1970s
Geographical coverage increases rapidly, with companies from India, Brazil and Argentina joining our membership.
POSCO (Korea) joined as an associate member.
1980s
China Steel Corporation (Taiwan,1980) and Hyundai - originally Inchon Steel - (Korea,1985) joined as associate members.
1990s
It was a slow decade for recruitment of regular members but a large number of associate and affiliate members joined.
1993: Sustainable development policy agreed.
1994: Federations in Hungary, Poland, Romania, Czech and Slovak Republics, and Slovenia become members
1996: IISI took over the Ultra Light Steel Auto Body (ULSAB) programme.
1997: Publication of the first steel industry life cycle inventory (LCI) analysis to ISO standards.
2000s
2000: Nucor (US) joined as the first electric arc furnace member company.
2001: The first Russian steel-producing member joined (Severstal).
2002: steeluniversity was launched and the climate change policy agreed.
2004: Formal entry of the five largest Chinese producers as members (Baosteel, Anshan, Handan, Shougang, Wuhan), plus CISA (China Iron and Steel Association).
2004: The first Sustainability Report was published and the Living Steel programme started; the second major Russian company (Evraz) joined.
2006: The safety and health principles were agreed and launched; the Beijing office was opened.
2008: IISI changed its name to World Steel Association (worldsteel).
2009: Climate Action, a CO2 data collection programme, was initiated.
2010s
2010: The first Steel Awards, or Steelies, ceremony was held at worldsteel's annual conference.
2011: Ian Christmas retired as Director General of worldsteel and was succeeded by Dr Edwin Basson.
2014: worldsteel and its members held their first Steel Safety Day on 28 April and committed to make it an annual event.
2016: Steel - the permanent material in the circular economy campaign was launched.
2017: worldsteel celebrated its 50th anniversary.
2018: worldsteel introduced its Sustainability Champions Programme to recognise members who clearly demonstrate their commitent to sustainable development and the circular economy.
2019: worldsteel launched step up, a programme aimed at improving the operational efficiency of steel plants with a view to reducing CO2 emissions.
