HeidelbergCement publishes Group Sustainability Report 2009/2010
- For the first time important key indicators were externally audited
- Alternative fuels rate reaches more than 20%
For the fourth time, HeidelbergCement is publishing a Group Sustainability Report. More than ever, the report focuses on a transparent presentation of the most significant topics relating to sustainability, in order to comply with the latest standards of reporting. New this year is that a selection of KPIs from the cement business line concerning occupational health & safety and environmental protection have been subjected to an independent auditor’s review. In doing so, the company increases data quality and likewise complies with the obligations of the Cement Sustainability Initiative of the WBCSD (World Business Council for Sustainable Development).
Continual improvements in 2009 and 2010
Over the past two years, HeidelbergCement has accomplished continual improvements in the central pillars of its sustainability strategy, for instance: promotion of biodiversity in quarries, reduction of CO₂ emissions and the use of alternative fuels: The company successfully increased the alternative fuels rate from 18.5% in 2008 to 20.5% in 2010. The goal for 2020 is to increase the rate to 30%. Another industry-specific key issue is occupational health & safety where HeidelbergCement made good progress in reducing accident rates. Occupational safety will remain a central topic of HeidelbergCement’s sustainability strategy in the coming years.
Sustainability is a management responsibility
“Sustainability is a management responsibility and part of our corporate strategy," said Dr. Bernd Scheifele, Chairman of the Managing Board of HeidelbergCement. “By means of continuous reporting on our progress we aim at making our business activities transparent and binding – so that all of our stakeholders can clearly see and understand the way in which we operate.
The target audience of the Sustainability Report are the company’s employees, investors, analysts, customers and business partners, as well as political actors, neighbours and NGOs. Responsibility with respect to the needs and interests of these groups is the primary prerequisite for sustainable management. The company philosophy “think global – act local” means that the local management plays a key role in fulfilling HeidelbergCement’s responsibilities. The aim is to minimise the impact of business activities on the local environment, and to utilise the company’s core competencies in such a way as to benefit the local community, as well as to generate lucrative opportunities for business.
About HeidelbergCement
HeidelbergCement is the global market leader in aggregates and a prominent player in the fields of cement, concrete and other downstream activities, making it one of the world’s largest manufacturers of building materials. The company employs some 55,000 people at 2,500 locations in more than 40 countries.
3,015 characters
