HeidelbergCement released its 2011/2012 Sustainability Report, “Foundations,” which highlights topics and challenges for the company in its drive for sustainable development. It also details the successes and aims of enterprise sustainability management, as well as the company’s activities in the arena of environmental and climate protection, workplace safety and social responsibility.
“Sustainable business practices are a fundamental condition as well as an integral component of our business activities, and therefore central to the activities and decisions of our management teams on the ground: The important thing is to minimize the impact of our operations on the local environment and populations, 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 AG. “Presenting our sustainability achievements and aims in a report like this is an essential part of making our business transparent and understandable to our stakeholders.”
The report illustrates how much HeidelbergCement has accomplished over the past two years. For instance, specific net carbon dioxide emissions were reduced by 21 percent (compared to 1990 levels) to 607.5 kg per tonne of cement. Moreover, employment of alternative fuels – including biomass – was successfully increased to 21.7 percent of total energy consumption in 2012.
Occupational health and safety is another key topic of the report. “In addition to environmental protection, the health and safety of our employees is another focus of the HeidelbergCement sustainability program. The figures prove the effectiveness of our expanded prevention measures and information campaigns. Still, workplace safety remains one of our top priorities, which is why we will continue to raise awareness among management and employees with respect to their responsibility for workplace health and safety,” continued Dr. Scheifele.
