Anderson has been a member of the group executive committee since October 2019, when she was appointed chief sustainability officer. Anderson is taking on the leadership and development of LafargeHolcim's global R&D strategy and organisation and external innovation collaborations from academia to start-ups in this expanded position.
Jan Jenisch, LafargeHolcim chief executive officer, said: "I am delighted to appoint Magali as our chief sustainability and innovation officer. Under her leadership, we opened a new chapter in our climate action with our net-zero pledge and growing range of green building solutions, from ECOPact to Ecolabel. Sustainability is a game-changer in our industry, and innovation is the most effective catalyst to scale up our impact. By aligning our sustainability and research and development organisations under Magali's direction, I look forward to stepping up our pace and pipeline of innovation to build a net-zero future."
Speaking about her new enlarged role, Anderson said: "I am very proud of how quickly we are advancing on our net-zero journey. We have always taken a rigorous and science-driven approach to sustainability. It's a natural next step to put innovation and sustainability under one roof to shift from incremental to exponential impact. By working even more closely with colleagues across our six innovation centres worldwide, researchers across our global network, and our growing list of external partners, from MIT to ETH, I am committed to moving even faster on our climate action."
In September 2020, LafargeHolcim announced its net-zero pledge, setting itself the most ambitious climate objectives in its industry, validated by the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi). Pursuing its rigorous science-based approach, LafargeHolcim is currently working with SBTi to set the industry's very first benchmark for aligning climate goals to a 1.5°C future for cement. Upon completion of this work, LafargeHolcim will publish its very first climate transition report in 2022. Consistent with its governance, this report will be submitted to its shareholders for a non-binding vote in 2022.
LafargeHolcim engages in innovation partnerships to scale up its impact. In March, the company announced its investment in XtreeE, a French start-up specialising in large-scale 3D printing. XTreeE gives architects the means to design more complex and sustainable buildings. LafargeHolcim also recently acquired a stake in Swiss start-up CPC AG (CPC) to produce concrete elements using pre-stressed carbon fibres as reinforcement, significantly reducing the elements' carbon footprint. Other recent highlights of LafargeHolcim's commitment to sustainability and innovation include its role as founding member of the MIT Climate and Sustainability Consortium (MCSC), where sector leaders work with MIT's world-class research teams to develop scalable solutions to tackle climate change. Fast Company magazine recently recognised LafargeHolcim among the 2021 Most Innovative Companies in urban development for its affordable housing technologies in Africa.
A French national and mechanical engineer, Magali Anderson has extensive international industry experience, acquired in a variety of general management, operational and functional roles in countries such as Brazil, Nigeria, Indonesia, Angola, Romania and China. She joined LafargeHolcim in 2016 as head of health & safety, significantly improving the company's safety performance before taking on the role of chief sustainability officer. She is on the advisory boards of the World Green Building Council (WGBC), MIT Climate & Sustainability Consortium, LafargeHolcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction and Business for Nature, as well as co-chair of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) Built Environment and the Global Concrete and Cement Association (GCCA) 2050 roadmap projects.
Anderson is also a mentor at the Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) in Paris, a nonprofit organisation that delivers an objectives-based program for massively scalable, seed-stage, science- and technology-based companies.
