São Paulo, Brazil-based Votorantim Cimentos released its 2030 Sustainability Commitments. The objective is to align the company’s worldwide operations to current and future needs of society, thereby creating a positive impact on the entire value chain and in the communities where the company operates.
The commitments are divided into seven pillars: ethics and integrity; health, safety and well-being; diversity and inclusion; innovation; environmental footprint; circular economy; and shared value.
Under Environmental Footprint, Votorantim Cimentos’ goal is to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions per ton of cement to 520 kg by 2030. Between 1990 and 2019, the company reduced its CO2 emissions per ton of cement by 23%, from 763 kg to 591 kg. In the long run, Votorantim Cimentos is committed to developing and implementing technologies that will enable it to deliver carbon-neutral concrete by 2050.
The key levers that will enable the company to achieve its goal of reducing CO2 emissions are:
- Co-processing.
- Reduction of the percentage of clinker in cement.
- Energy efficiency and use of renewable energy sources.
- Concrete recycling.
- Efficient use of concrete in construction projects.
- Application of technologies of carbon capture and sequestration or carbon use at scale.
In September, the 2050 Carbon Neutral Concrete Climate Ambition was launched by the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA), an entity to which Votorantim Cimentos is a signatory.
“Our 2030 Sustainability Commitments are aligned with Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) best practices and converge with our commitment to the Climate Change agenda,” said Álvaro Lorenz, Votorantim Cimentos’ global director of sustainability and institutional relations. “Our vision for the future is based on the concept of ‘flexible solidity.’ We are solid in delivering what we set ourselves to do with excellence, ethics, safety and global performance. At the same time, we are flexible to adapt to the new needs of society, leveraging trends and technological developments to make better use of resources, evolve processes and positively impact people’s lives.”
