Displaying items by tag: Sustainability

Germany: Mexico-based Cemex subsidiary Cemex Zement has set up an innovation acceleration partnership called Carbon Neutral Alliance to support its work to achieve net zero CO₂ emissions at its Rüdersdorf cement plant by 2030. The association will work to develop industrial-scale demonstration projects in line with the company’s Future in Action programme. Its scope will include carbon capture and storage (CCS), the transformation of captured CO₂ into building materials, synthetic fuels and green hydrocarbons, hydrogen production and waste heat recovery (WHR). Cemex plans to share the knowledge gained by the alliance across its global cement network.

Managing director and Rüdersdorf plant manager Stefan Schmorleiz said, "It is expected that CO₂ will be further processed to convert to new forms of energy and materials for use locally by industrial, residential, and transport sectors. Together with our partners, we will take feasibility studies through to economic solutions to decarbonising cement production.”

Greece: Titan Cement group has accelerated its efforts towards sustainability with new environmental, social and governance (ESG) targets. The targets include an updated CO₂ emissions reduction target of 35% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels, zero workplace fatalities and a cement industry top-three lost time injury frequency rate, increased female leadership participation and 70% supplier sustainability in line with the producer’s own ESG standards by 2025. It also set a water consumption target of 280L/t of cementitious material produced and 50% certified Zero Waste to landfill production by 2025.

Chief sustainability officer Leonidas Canellopoulos said, “We are building on our strong track record on sustainability and aspire to increase our positive impact on people, society, and the environment. We are committing to ambitious targets that aim to generate more value for all our stakeholders and set the foundations for sustainable growth in a carbon-neutral and digitalised world.”

UK: Germany-based HeidelbergCement subsidiary Hanson has received the green light for its planned carbon capture and storage (CCS) study at its Padeswood cement plant in Flintshire after its partner, the HyNet North West consortium received Euro84m in funding. The study will support a design basis and cost estimate for a carbon capture unit at the cement plant and a connection to the planned HyNet North West CO₂ transport and storage system. Euro46m of the funding came from consortium partners while Euro38m came from a UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Industrial Decarbonisation Challenge grant.

Hanson chief executive officer Simon Willis said, “Today’s funding announcement is fantastic news for everyone involved in HyNet North West. Cutting CO₂ emissions is a key priority for us, and we are excited to be one of the first UK cement producers working on carbon capture and storage (CCS) as part of this collaborative project.” He added, “We’ve taken big steps towards reducing carbon emissions and have set ourselves an ambitious target of achieving a 50% reduction in CO₂ emissions by 2030, based on 1990 levels, and net zero carbon concrete by 2050. CCS at cement plants is a key part of our roadmap to net zero.”

Colombia: Cementos Argos will hold the virtual launch of Argos Green Solutions on 17 March 2021. The company will use the group to set out its vision of innovation to build a sustainable future. President Juan Esteban Calle and sustainability vice president María Isabel Echeverri will host the event.

Colombia: BBVA has granted a US$45.1m loan to Grupo Argos subsidiary Cementos Argos. The loan includes a pricing adjustment mechanism which links its interest rate to the producer’s environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) performance rating. The company said that the choice of financing arrangement aims to promote a greater commitment to sustainability management and compliance with socially and environmentally responsible practices that ensure the construction of a greener future. The transaction is the first of its kind in Colombia and constitutes Grupo Argos’ debut in sustainable financing.

Chief executive officer Juan Esteban Calle said, “This is a definite advance in line with our sustainability strategy that fills us with joy, not only because it contributes to our debt profile and reassures our commitment to sustainability as a strategic pillar and source of competitive advantage, but it is also a benchmark of trust for our investors and other stakeholders”

India: The Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTI) has validated UltraTech Cement’s CO₂ emissions reduction targets. The validation confirms that the company’s targets are in line with a 2°C temperature rise scenario under the Paris Agreement. The targets consist of a 27% reduction in Scope 1 CO₂ emissions between 2017 and 2032 and a 69% reduction in Scope 2 CO₂ emissions between 2017 and 2032. This corresponds to a 462kg/t net CO₂ reduction for the producer’s cement.

Managing director Kailash Jhanwar said, “A changing climate scenario poses significant challenges for the built environment sector. It equally provides valuable opportunities to develop sustainable products and services. By committing to science-based targets, UltraTech Cement has once again demonstrated leadership in paving the way for the sector to help build sustainable infrastructure.”

Japan: Taiheiyo Cement plans to set up a Carbon Neutral Technology Development Project Team in April 2021. The team will develop and apply carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies for installation at the producer’s cement kilns. The company said that the team seeks to develop cost-practical product for industrial application. Following on from this, it plans to develop CCS technologies which make use of other cement plant processes, and which integrates the circular economic use of industrial by-products. Carbon neutrality is the ultimate aim.

The group said, “By establishing a new project team that is a cross-company organisation, we will gather our wisdom and realise carbon neutrality. We will strongly promote the development of innovative technologies for this purpose.”

Colombia: Grupo Argos subsidiary Cementos Argos has recycled a total of 7m cement bags since 2013 under its Green Bags recycling initiative. The El Nuevo Siglo newspaper has reported that the recycled bags contained 1000t of paper. In water savings alone, the figure corresponds to 80,200m3 - enough water to supply 472,000 people for a day. 159 commercial customers have so far contributed their used bags. In the Medellín metropolitan area, the programme achieved a bag return rate of 95%.The group overcame coronavirus pandemic-related challenges to recycle 15,900 bags in 2020.

Germany: HeidelbergCement has detailed how it uses bonuses to ensure country and cement plant managers achieve their CO₂ reduction targets. Chief financial officer Lorenz Näger explained to financial analysts following the publication of the group’s fourth quarter results for 2020, that a plant’s annual reduction target is calculated against the group-wide ‘525 by 2025’ target of CO₂ emissions of 525kg/t of cementitious material by 2025. Plant performance against this is multiplied with a financial target to determine a manager’s bonus. This enables for the enlargement of bonuses at financially well-performing plants which exceed their emissions reduction targets. A similar mechanism is also used for country managers. Näger called the incentive mechanism a ‘step-changer.’

Pakistan: The National Forum for Environment and Health has awarded Maple Leaf Cement the Corporate Social Responsibility Award 2021 for its contributions to environment and community. The Business Recorder newspaper has reported that the company says it encourages a ‘positive impact’ on the environment, employees, community and all other stakeholders through its activities.