Climate protection and occupational safety are identified as top priorities in
The Sustainability Report 2017 summarises important topics and challenges for HeidelbergCement in its drive for sustainable development. It focuses on targets, measures and achievements of the company’s sustainability management.
The company says sustainable business management is an integral part of group strategy.
“For us, sustainable corporate governance means constantly reconciling our profit targets with the need to safeguard our future viability,” said Dr. Bernd Scheifele, chairman of the managing board. "Our sustainability strategy focuses on local responsibility – towards our employees and our neighbours as well as towards the environment at more than 3,000 locations in around 60 countries worldwide.
"With this report, we offer transparency about our objectives and our efforts in the field of sustainability – making them accessible to our stakeholders.”
The company says that it decreased the accident frequency rate in its core business in 2017 by 21% compared with the preceding year.
Scheifele commented: “This represents a significant improvement. A large number of locations has now been accident-free for several years, while others have seen drastically reduced accident rates. Nevertheless, serious accidents still occurred in 2017. We will therefore further intensify our efforts to prevent accidents on a permanent basis.”
HeidelbergCement has also made a commitment to accept its share of the worldwide responsibility to limit the global rise in temperature to below 2°C. By 2030, the company therefore wants to reduce the specific CO2 emissions by 30% compared with 1990. External verification has confirmed that the goal is consistent with the roadmap defined for the industry by the
To further reduce its CO2 emissions, the company aims to continually increase the proportion of alternative raw materials and fuels and, wherever possible, make its production processes even more efficient. In addition, HeidelbergCement invests heavily in research programmes on carbon capture and its utilisation as a raw material. In 2017, HeidelbergCement spent €141 million on research and technology – around €24 million more than in the previous year.
The report, further information and the GRI index are available online at <%$Linker:
HeidelbergCement is one of the world’s largest integrated manufacturers of building materials with leading market positions in aggregates, cement, and ready-mixed concrete. The company employs 60,000 people at more than 3,000 locations in around 60 countries.
