Lead the Charge

🧑‍💻Make the circular ‘operating system’ work through better industry-wide solutions such as data sharing and clear policies that keep products and materials in circulation.

🚛 Build and co-invest in regional circular infrastructure that enables materials to circulate efficiently, resiliently, and transparently.

⭕ Scale circular business models to treat battery critical minerals as long-term assets managed through service models that reward durability performance, recovery, and second-life use.

🔋 Rethink battery service within optimised energy-mobility systems so value isn’t about bigger batteries, and the co-optimisation of batteries and energy-mobility systems lead to greater circular potential without sacrificing function.

♻️ Design batteries for circularity, not disposal so they last and can be reused across multiple lives.

Press Release: Circular EV battery economy turns industry risk into reward Published on 20th January 2026

Demand for automakers to “Lead the Charge” on circular battery supply chains is growing! A new report from @ellenmacarthurfdn.bsky.social has 5 suggestions for the auto industry to lead the charge to a circular battery supply chain. #battchatt

www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/press-releas....

Toyota aims to use 30% recycled material in 2030, eyeing EU regulations Japanese automaker incorporates waste plastic from old cars into new models

EU regulations are driving yet another good outcome for cleaner and more just auto supply chains!

Toyota just announced that new vehicles will be 30% recycled material from 2030.

They made this move to “get ahead of anticipated regulations by the European Union.”

asia.nikkei.com/business/aut...

“Once a global leader in producing solar panels and semiconductors, the US saw that capacity erode due to domestic policy choices and international developments. Recent efforts to reshore these sectors underscore how challenging it is to rebuild industries once they’ve been lost.” 2/2

BlueGreen Alliance | One Year of Trump Administration and Congressional Attacks on Clean Energy Jobs and Innovation Search Go

🚨🚨🚨 The @bluegreenalliance.bsky.social is sounding the alarm about the impacts of the Trump administration’s reversal of funding for clean energy manufacturing jobs in the US. 1/2

www.bluegreenalliance.org/resources/on...

Automakers can build more resilient and profitable battery supply chains through circularity Demand for automakers to “Lead the Charge” on circular battery supply chains is growing! A new report from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation - Leading The Charge – Turning risk into reward with a circula...

This month in the Lead the Charge newsletter:

♻️ Automakers can build more resilient and profitable battery supply chains through circularity

www.linkedin.com/pulse/automa...

Automakers are some of the best and earliest customers for green steel, but steelmakers also need contracts for the non-prime steel produced by a new steel mill.

This deal is good news for the steel industry, for steel buyers - and for everyone who relies on a stable climate! 3/3

Steelmakers need contracts and commitments for green steel so they can bridge the gap between coal-based steelmaking and the hydrogen-based DRI steelmaking needed to meet global climate targets. 2/3

Stegra lands key customer for green-steel plant amid financial woes The Swedish startup will supply steel to a German industrial firm from its flagship facility in northern Sweden. Stegra is working to raise over $1…

Thyssenkrupp has committed to buying non-prime steel from Stegra to re-sell, supporting Stegra in their efforts to build a decarbonized steel supply chain. 1/3

www.canarymedia.com/articles/gre...

Advocates are urging automakers to use their purchasing power to support the US steel industry’s transition away from coal-based steelmaking by committing now to purchase decarbonized steel. 3/3

Automakers have the power to choose which path the steel industry takes, because over 60% of new primary US steel is purchased by automakers. 2/3

Why automakers are the key to cleaner steelmaking A new report shows that car manufacturers have huge purchasing power when it comes to U.S.-made steel. Advocates want them to demand a cleaner version of…

The US steel industry will either phase out dangerous coal pollution in the next decade or be left behind as the world transitions to green steel.

@alexckaufman.bsky.social at @canarymedia.com has it right - automakers are the key to cleaner steelmaking. 1/3

www.canarymedia.com/articles/gre...

🤖 Volvo sources 33% of the total steel used in the EX60 directly, and that steel has a 30% share of recycled content.

For more on how leading automakers are using LCAs to track progress in cleaning up their supply chains, check out our next newsletter. 3/3

⚙️ Of the 21% of the EX60’s aluminum mass that is manufactured directly by Volvo Cars, 55% of the aluminum is made from recycled materials, and 45% is primary aluminum produced with electricity from renewable energy sources in the electrolysis step. 2/3

It’s finally here! The new all‑electric Volvo EX60 marks an important milestone for us. Not only because it delivers up to 810 km of range, but because it does so with our most sustainable approach… |... It’s finally here! The new all‑electric Volvo EX60 marks an important milestone for us. Not only because it delivers up to 810 km of range, but because it does so with our most sustainable approach so...

A review of @volvo-cars.bsky.social’s new lifecycle assessment for the EX60 reveals several examples of progress toward cleaner and more just supply chains. 1/3

www.linkedin.com/posts/vaness...

The Mining Standards Accountability Alliance is calling on the CMSI and any other voluntary mining standard to align with international law and norms, ensure frontline communities have a seat at the table, respect Indigenous Peoples’ rights, and implement a robust assurance and claims system. 2/2

Home | Mining Standards Accountability Alliance Today, Public Citizen, EARTHWORKS, African Resources Watch (AFREWATCH), Rainforest Foundation Norway, Batani Foundation and Quipa joined together to launch the Mining Standards Accountability Alliance...

The civil society pushback against the Consolidated Mining Association Initiative's voluntary standard has grown to a fever pitch, with a new coalition launching this week. 1/2

www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...

🇪🇺 The EU’s new carbon border tariff is putting pressure on all steel producers. Brazil and Turkey have introduced domestic carbon-pricing policies in response. China has started shipping steel made using hydrogen to Italy, which experts say could set the stage for boosting Chinese greensteel exports

🍃 Electra unveiled the site of its first demo plant, producing produce iron w/ electrochemical devices powered by renewables

🌡️ Hertha Metals is turning iron ore directly into steel using a high-temperature, single-step process that currently runs on fossil gas but could switch to green hydrogen 5/6

🏭 U.S. Steel is also set to construct a ​“direct reduced iron” facility at the Big River Steel site.

🧪 Boston Metal is one step closer to commercializing its ​“molten oxide electrolysis” technology after it fired up an industrial-size reactor at its facility in Massachusetts. 4/

🇯🇵 Nippon Steel announced plans to build a $4 billion plant in the U.S. with two new electric arc furnaces.

🇺🇲 U.S. Steel finished the construction last year on its multibillion$ plant to make steel for EV motors, solar panels, and power generators, which will be powered with 40% clean energy. 3/

She observes that despite a retreat from effective climate policy by the US, a lot of progress on decarbonizing steel was made in 2025.

🇰🇷 Hyundai plans to build a $6 billion steel plant in Louisiana by 2029 that will include a DRI facility and an electric arc furnace. 2/

2025 wasn't a great year for green steel ambitions. What happens now? A hydrogen bust and a pro–fossil fuel administration stymied U.S. progress on decarbonizing steel. But companies are still advancing plans for low-carbon…

This excellent piece by @mariagallucci.bsky.social of @canarymedia.com acknowledges that 2025 wasn’t a great year for green steel, but is optimistic about the future. 1/

www.canarymedia.com/articles/gre...

Hyundai Steel builds Dangjin pilot plant to fast‑track DRI US mill Hyundai Steel builds Dangjin pilot plant to fast‑track DRI US mill Pilot facility to test hydrogen and gas direct reduction processes ahead of Louisiana mill startup

This news puts us one step closer to Hyundai fulfilling their promise to build an H2-DRI steel mill in the US to supply their US factories with green steel.

biz.chosun.com/en/en-indust...

Automakers sourcing from these facilities should bear in mind that impacted communities are keenly aware of the pollution being inflicted on them by coal-based steel making, and will continue to hold the companies purchasing the products of this pollution responsible. 3/3

Orgs including @nrdc.org, @earthjustice.org, @elpcenter.bsky.social, @selc.bsky.social @envirointegrity.bsky.social, @hoosierenvcouncil.bsky.social @pennfuture.bsky.social, & @sierraclub.org filed suit to stop the Trump admin from allowing coke ovens to bypass critical pollution controls. 2/3