Global Cement
The ultimate filtration fibre for cement plants - Evonik - Leading Beyond Chemistry
Online condition monitoring experts for proactive and predictive maintenance - DALOG
Extend the service life of your kiln with veneering. Expect the best. REFRATECHNIK
Your Particulate and Gaseous pollution abatement partner - Thermax
  • Home
  • News
  • Conferences
  • Magazine
  • Directory
  • Reports
  • Members
  • Live
  • Login
  • Advertise
  • Knowledge Base
  • Alternative Fuels
  • Services
  • Jobs
  • Privacy & Cookie Policy
  • About
  • Register
  • Trial subscription
  • Contact
News Global Cement and Concrete Association takes form

Global Cement and Concrete Association takes form

Written by David Perilli, Global Cement 28 November 2018
  • Print

Chief executives from over 30 companies attended the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) inaugural event last week in London. Its first president Albert Manifold, the chief executive officer (CEO) of CRH, laid out the line by saying that, “For the first time we have a global advocacy body.” He followed this up by emphasising that ‘our product’ is the most used man-made product in the world. Just like the Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI), the body the GCCA is partly-replacing, it is a CEO-led organisation. The target is very much about giving a global voice to the cement and concrete industries and the vertically integrated companies that produce these products.

Along with the head of CRH, the leaders of LafargeHolcim, HeidelbergCement, CNBM, Votorantim, Buzzi Unicem and Eurocement, amongst others, were all on the attendance list too. That kind of representation gave the event a charged air and a real sense of intent. At present the association says it represents 35% of global cement production and its aim is to reach 50%. That compares to the 30% base that the CSI had.

Representatives from some major cement associations were also present, including Europe’s Cembureau, the Federación Interamericana del Cemento (FICEM), the Canadian Cement Association and the VDZ. The only thing stopping the US Portland Cement Association being there was reportedly the Thanksgiving holiday. Although not comprehensive, that kind of representation suggests serious interest from the regional cement associations. The word from the GCCA CEO Benjamin Sporton was that the GCCA is here to provide a global level of coordination to the advocacy and sustainability side of the industry dealing with global organisations like the United Nations (UN), development banks, other associations and non-government organisations (NGOs).

How this will work in practice has yet to be seen, but at the very least, the GCCA can take over the work of the CSI and run with it. The word from the attendees we spoke to was uniformly positive for the association. It was seen as a long-overdue move to finally give the industry some sort of uniform voice at a global scale. In this sense it is catching up with similar bodies in industries like wood and steel. One benefit from moving from the CSI to a full advocacy organisation is that the industry can actually talk about the good things it does rather than being limited to sustainability and environmental data reporting. It seems like a small change in focus but it’s a big shift in mind-set.

A cynic might suggest that the exercise is one of a dirty industry trying to wrest the Overton window, or window of public discourse, back from legislators facing mounting environmental pressure. The latest UN Emissions Gap Report for 2018, for example, reported this week that CO2 emissions rose in 2017 after four consecutive years of decline. This is the latest environmental report in a long line pointing out bad news. Yet, the GCCA’s unwritten mantra, that concrete improves lives, is sound. Somebody or something needs to link it all up. That somebody might just be the GCCA.

A review of the inaugural annual general meeting and symposium of the GCCA will be published in a forthcoming issue of Global Cement Magazine.

Last modified on 28 November 2018
Published in Analysis
Tagged under
  • UK
  • Global Cement and Concrete Association
  • CRH
  • Cement Sustainability Initiative
  • HeidelbergCement
  • CNBM
  • Votorantim Cimentos
  • Buzzi Unicem
  • Eurocement
  • Sustainability
  • concrete
  • Environment
  • lobbying
  • GCW381

Register for the Global Cement Weekly email newsletter

Global Cement Weekly is Global Cement’s weekly email newsletter. Keep up to date with cement industry news, analysis, diary dates and news of people in the sector.

Register >

Related items

  • Cembureau welcomes updates to European Union Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism
  • World Economic Forum and GCCA report identifies the countries that are prioritising green public procurement
  • PCA opposes pause to US petrol tax
  • RHI Magnesita discloses CO2 footprints for all products
  • DG Khan Cement ships 50,000t of cement to the US
back to top
“AI
“Loesche
“Airscape
Original Services - We Move the World - Flender
System solutions for the construction materials industry - Schmersal: the DNA of Safety
Acquisition Cemex China CO2 concrete coronavirus Export France Germany Government grinding plant HeidelbergCement Holcim Import India Lafarge LafargeHolcim Mexico Nigeria Pakistan Plant Product Production Results Russia Sales Sustainability UK Upgrade US
« June 2022 »
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
    1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
27 28 29 30      



Sign up for FREE to Global Cement Weekly
Global Cement LinkedIn
Global Cement Facebook
Global Cement Twitter
  • Home
  • News
  • Conferences
  • Magazine
  • Directory
  • Reports
  • Members
  • Live
  • Login
  • Advertise
  • Knowledge Base
  • Alternative Fuels
  • Services
  • Jobs
  • Privacy & Cookie Policy
  • About
  • Register
  • Trial subscription
  • Contact
  • Conferences & Webinars >>
  • Global Ash
  • Global CemBoards
  • Global CemCCUS
  • Global CemEnergy
  • Global CemFuels
  • Global CemPower
  • Global CemProcess
  • Global CemProducer
  • Global Cement Quality Control
  • Global CemTrans
  • Global Concrete
  • Global FutureCem
  • Global Gypsum
  • Global GypSupply
  • Global Insulation
  • Global Slag
  • Global Synthetic Gypsum
  • Global Well Cem
  • African Cement
  • Asian Cement
  • American Cement
  • European Cement
  • Middle Eastern Cement
  • Magazine >>
  • Latest issue
  • Articles
  • Editorial programme
  • Contributors
  • Link
  • Awards
  • Back issues
  • Subscribe
  • Photography
  • Register for free copies
  • The Last Word
  • Websites >>
  • Global Gypsum
  • Global Slag
  • Global CemFuels
  • Global Concrete
  • Global Insulation
  • Pro Global Media
  • PRoIDS Online
  • Social >>
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

© 2022 Pro Global Media Ltd. All rights reserved.