In the United States, Holcim hit significant sustainability milestones in 2023 with initiatives across the country and even more planned for 2024 as the company does its part to work toward ambitious, verified global sustainability goals across its entire value chain.
“A realistic approach to a net-zero, fully sustainable future requires us to consider all facets of our operations and products,” said Michael LeMonds, Holcim US’ chief sustainability officer and vice president of ESG. “We’re committed to decarbonizing without compromise, transitioning to renewable energy, developing new carbon capture technology, and more as we drive the circular economy in leading by example.”
In one significant sign of its commitment, Holcim became the first company in the cement sector to sign the U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Climate Challenge, pledging to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 25 percent across a 10-year period.
Other major sustainability milestones from this year include:
- Producing and selling record levels of sustainable products. For instance, OneCem volumes increased to 83% in 2023 compared to 57% in 2022, reducing approximately 1.5 million metric tons of CO2 emissions.
- Accelerating use of renewable energy. The company implemented and announced initiatives to power 45% of operations with renewable energy, and broke ground on a solar array at its the Alpena (Mich.) cement plant.
- Replacing fossil fuels with alternative fuel. Holcim co-processed 400,000 metric tons of industrial byproducts into alternative fuels to power operations and 1.5 million metric tons of industrial byproducts into alternative raw materials to produce low-carbon cement.
These efforts are only part of Holcim’s work toward the transition to net zero. From offering low-carbon cements and concretes to incorporating renewable energy to innovative carbon capture research, the company continues to put sustainability first.
