Better Health for All

Nucor has incurred over $100 million in environmental penalties since 2000

, including a $98 million air pollution violation in 2000 and a $13 million air pollution violation in 2001 . More recently, in 2024, the company received fines for water pollution ($6,371) and air pollution ($9,282) . To mitigate these impacts, Nucor has partnered to recycle nearly 100% of secondary scrap steel at U.S. facilities , utilizing electric arc furnace technology that results in 75% less emissions than traditional methods . The company has also set a target to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and is investing $35 million in a 500 MW fusion power plant to supply zero-carbon electricity by 2030 , both aimed at improving air quality and public health .

Fair Money & Economic Opportunity

Nucor Corporation is a manufacturer of steel and steel products, not a financial institution.

The 'Fair Money & Economic Opportunity' value and its associated Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are designed to assess companies engaged in lending, insuring, moving, or storing money, and their impact on financial inclusion and economic opportunity through financial services. As Nucor does not offer financial services, lending, or deposit products to consumers, all KPIs related to these activities are not applicable to its business model. While Nucor's investments, such as the $2.7 billion mill in West Virginia, create jobs and economic opportunities, these are outcomes of its core manufacturing business, not financial inclusion initiatives or lending programs as defined by the rubric. Mentions of "fair pricing" in Article 0 refer to steel products, not financial services.

Fair Pay & Worker Respect

In 2021, 87% of employees stated that Nucor is a great place to work.

The company emphasizes safety through partnerships with OSHA's Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) and recognizes divisions with exemplary safety records. Nucor utilizes a 'Pay-for-Performance' compensation model, though some employees have expressed concerns about compensation relative to inflation.

Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing

No specific, quantitative evidence was provided in the articles to assess Nucor Corp against the 'Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing' value's KPIs. While Nucor has a Supplier Code of Conduct aiming to eliminate forced labor

, the articles do not provide data on the percentage of suppliers covered by ethical clauses, audit frequency, number of forced or child labor incidents, supply chain traceability, remediation speed, high-risk material spend, or supplier diversity spend.

Honest & Fair Business

Nucor scored 97.1% on the CPA-Zicklin Index, which assesses transparency and accountability in corporate political spending.

The company's Board of Directors has eight members, seven of whom are independent, representing 87.5% independent members. Nucor has anti-corruption policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and the U.K. Bribery Act 2010, with bribery and corruption risk as a standard item in its annual risk assessment. These policies and procedures have been communicated to 100% of governance body members and teammates. Nucor also maintains a whistleblower policy that allows teammates, suppliers, and contractors to report violations anonymously via a toll-free hotline monitored by a third party, and it prohibits retaliation against those who report violations.

Kind to Animals

No specific, concrete data points were found in the provided articles for any of the 'Kind to Animals' KPIs. The company, Nucor Corporation, is a steel manufacturer, and the articles primarily discuss its environmental practices, decarbonization efforts, and historical environmental settlements. There is no evidence regarding cruelty-free certifications, animal testing policies or volumes, humane certifications for animal operations, ethical substitution of animal-derived inputs, supplier audits for animal welfare, cage-free sourcing, or investment in animal-free technologies. While Nucor's biodiversity policy mentions protecting plant and animal species and following the Endangered Species Act

, and it has committed to net-zero emissions by 2050 , the articles do not provide measurable biodiversity impact from specific conservation initiatives or direct advocacy for animal welfare policy improvement as required by the rubric's quantitative thresholds.

No War, No Weapons

Nucor Corporation does not directly manufacture weapons. However, its steel products, including armored plate produced at a $110 million heat-treating facility in Hertford, North Carolina, are utilized in military applications such as armored vehicles and infrastructure.

In 2010, Nucor spent $680,000 lobbying Congress on various issues, including the use of domestic steel in military applications.

Planet-Friendly Business

Nucor has pledged to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, encompassing Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions

. An interim goal for 2030 targets a GHG intensity of 0.975 metric tons of CO₂ equivalent per ton from a 2023 baseline . These science-based emissions targets are certified by the Global Steel Climate Council . Nucor also led a coalition to develop the Steel Climate Standard, a global standard for measuring and reporting carbon emissions in the steel industry . The company has an agreement with ExxonMobil to capture and store up to 800,000 metric tons of CO₂ annually from its direct reduced iron plant in Convent, Louisiana, starting in 2026 . Nucor invested in Electra, a startup developing carbon-free iron production technology using renewable energy . Furthermore, Nucor produces Econiq™-RE steel and Econiq™ net-zero carbon steel products, which are made with 100% renewable energy and utilize high-quality carbon offsets . The company's 'Made for Good' campaign emphasizes its commitment to environmentally friendly steel production methods, including the use of electric arc furnaces .

Respect for Cultures & Communities

Nucor's investment in the Los Pinares mining project in Honduras faced significant opposition from local communities due to environmental concerns and alleged human rights violations, leading to social unrest, protests, and legal actions.

Nucor stated it sold its shares in October 2019, though documents indicated executives remained involved in related entities beyond that date. Separately, Nucor-Vulcraft's Community Engagement initiative includes volunteering, charitable donations, and educational partnerships. Nucor and its Charitable Foundation donated $2.5 million, including steel, to the Global War on Terrorism Memorial in October 2023. In February 2025, Nucor Steel donated plate steel to Roanoke-Chowan Community College's welding program. Nucor employees contributed over $17 million to the American Cancer Society since 2007, with over $1.2 million in 2023. The company emphasizes building strong relationships with communities and creating an inclusive environment that represents the communities where they operate.

Safe & Smart Tech

Nucor Corporation experienced a data breach in June 2023 involving personal information, banking details, and deposit amounts, which led to a class-action settlement

. Another cyberattack occurred in May 2025, causing unauthorized access and a temporary halt of some operations . These two incidents of unauthorized data use over approximately two years indicate gaps in regulatory compliance. The company has stated it is enhancing cybersecurity measures and implementing practices aligned with NIST's Cybersecurity Framework . Nucor utilizes AI in operations for predictive maintenance, supply chain management, and real-time cyber threat monitoring .

Zero Waste & Sustainable Products

Nucor's building systems are 100% recyclable at end-of-life.

These building systems also utilize over 70% recycled steel content. The company partnered with Johnson Controls in April 2023 to establish a closed-loop steel recycling program, aiming to recycle nearly 100% of secondary scrap steel from major Johnson Controls facilities in the U.S.