HeidelbergCement Releases Sustainability Report

HeidelbergCement released its seventh sustainability report, which highlights important topics and challenges for the company in its drive for sustainable development. Sustainability Report 2015 also includes the company’s activities in the arena of environmental protection, employees, workplace safety and social responsibility.

“Sustainable business practices are an integral component of our business activities and therefore a central task of our local management teams. The important thing is to minimize the impact of our operations on the local environment, and to utilize our core competencies in a way that contributes to the society at large and generates economic opportunities,” said Dr. Bernd Scheifele, CEO of HeidelbergCement. “With this report, we transparently present our sustainability achievements and targets – and thereby make our performance understandable to our stakeholders.”

Climate protection and the reduction of CO2 emissions remained in focus of the company’s sustainability management in 2015. For instance, specific net carbon dioxide emissions were reduced by 22 percent (compared to 1990 levels) to 606 kg per ton of cement and the use of alternative raw materials were increased. Additionally, the clinker factor decreased to 75 percent.

“The numbers show what kind of progress HeidelbergCement made in 2015,” said Dr. Scheifele. “We have also substantially intensified our commitment to the development of technologies to use CO2 as a resource, and we have entered into very promising cooperative research projects. This puts us at the forefront of the movement in the cement industry.”

Moreover, after implementing industry indicators for water reporting at all cement plants in 2013 and 2014, this year’s HeidelbergCement Sustainability Report is the first to present figures on water management. Data is now being collected from aggregates and ready-mixed concrete activities, meaning that figures will be available for these business lines in the future. All plants in regions where water is scarce will implement an individual water management plan by 2030.

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