Page 7 - ICJ-March-2021

LEADER’S NOTE

NEED AND BENEFITS OF
SUSTAINABILITY JOURNEY

In addition, LafargeHolcim is partnering with SBTi to develop
a roadmap for aligning climate targets to a 1.5°C future in the
cement sector, pushing the boundaries of green construction.
Preparing for the future today, we are piloting more than twenty
Dear Reader, CCUS projects. Working with other multinationals as well as
start-ups, the pilots are evaluated in terms of cost, technical
The fundamental question to be asked when developing a
sustainability roadmap is why a company needs to embark on feasibility, compatibility with CO2 usage opportunities, and
other aspects of viability and scalability.
this journey. Over the last decade, the answer to this question
has become increasingly self evident. This increasing awareness We are leading the way in circular construction as the second
of the need and benefits of a strong sustainability performance biggest recycling company in the world today, with 50 million
has accelerated rapidly in the last two years. tons of materials recycled across our business - and we will
increase this to 100 million tons by 2030.
Put simply, good environmental, social and governance practices
and performance, make good business sense, both internally Within our operations we follow the materials hierarchy aiming
and externally. to close and extend the materials loops. This means rethinking
our process using new technologies, reducing resources
To be competitive, companies need to attract and retain the
best talent and employees are increasingly attracted to working consumed as much as possible and reusing mineral and waste
for a caring company with a purpose. Driven by increasing materials such as recycled construction and demolition waste.
regulations and most powerfully societal expectations, there is Our green solutions will play an important role in rebuilding the
a growing demand for sustainable products and services and infrastructure and housing society needs.
these markets are rapidly developing. Investors are increasingly For our continued success, we are reliant on the ecosystems
raising the bar on their requirements for companies. The advent provided by nature, and we are committed to restoring these.
of green finance products, such as the sustainability linked bond Water scarcity is a particular challenge. It is increasing rapidly,
recently issued by LafargeHolcim, provides access to capital at exacerbated by climate change and a growing population.
attractive rates to drive a sustainability program. We focus our efforts on water scarce areas by measuring our
What we do at LafargeHolcim - providing construction operational water footprint, reducing freshwater withdrawal,
materials and solutions - is fundamental to delivering the assessing water risks and engaging with stakeholders on sharing
public infrastructure and housing which are a prerequisite for water. For example, our operations in India are certified as being
a sustainable, equitable and resilient world. Construction is water positive by an independent 3rd party. We also innovate
the most formidable vehicle for the large-scale introduction of our products to drive a reduction of the water needed for the
circular, low-carbon and resource-efficient solutions in the real application of our products.
economy, and has a substantial societal impact. Our business is fundamentally local and as such we make sure
We have a history of commitment to sustainability and we to ensure the wellbeing of our own people and create value
reduced our CO2 per ton of cementitious by 27% in the last for the communities in which we live and work. We enable and
40 years. But this leadership took another dimension when we empower people by providing responsible employment and
positioned sustainability at the heart of the decision making access to homes, infrastructure, education and healthcare, while
of the company, by creating the CSO position at Executive ensuring that Human Rights are respected everywhere we work.
Committee level. Over the last five years LafargeHolcim has invested over CHF
240 million in community projects, benefiting an estimated
Our sustainability work rests on four strategic pillars: Climate
& Energy, Circular Economy, Nature (with a focus on Water & 30 million people.
Biodiversity) and People. We believe that sustainability is the foundation for the future
and at LafargeHolcim we are committed to leading the way.
Leading the way in green construction, LafargeHolcim is the
first global building materials company to sign the “Business Magali Anderson
Ambition for 1.5°C” initiative, with intermediate targets Chief Sustainability Officer, LafargeHolcim
approved by the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi). Read more : www.lafargeholcim.com/magali-anderson

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