Switzerland – Holcim reports on progress

With the publication of its second sustainability report “Building on the foundations”, Swiss cement maker Holcim is reporting on its progress during the past two years in a number of areas.

In the field of quarry management and rehabilitation, the company has put rehabilitation plans in place in 80 per cent of its cement-related quarries. These include award-winning projects such as wetland conservation in Vietnam.

Investments in energy and process efficiency, the increased use of mineral components and alternative fuels and the commissioning of more energy-efficient works have led to an improvement of specific emissions, putting Holcim on the right path to achieving its CO2 emission reduction targets. Since 1990, global average specific net CO2 emissions have fallen by 12.9 per cent.

Holcim’s co-chairmanship of the Cement Sustainability Initiative of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and its participation in the UN Global Compact demonstrate the importance it attributes to stakeholder engagement – also reflected in the first corporate stakeholder dialogue, held in December 2003.

Other areas of progress reported include occupational health and safety, social responsibility and the company’s economic performance.

The next sustainability report is due in 2006 and will include environmental and social performance data of the aggregates and concrete businesses. In addition, sustainable development performance data are update annually on the company website www.holcim.com/sustainable