We know that we can only be successful as a company if we maintain cordial and cooperative relationships with the various stakeholders in society who are affected by our business operations at the local, national and international levels. In order to ensure that these relationships are based on a firm foundation of trust, we work to achieve frank communication and a constructive dialogue that does not shy away from addressing important problems and issues.
Most of our plants and quarries are situated in the direct vicinity of communities, which is why constant dialogue with local governments, authorities and NGOs is an indispensable factor for ensuring a stable business environment. This is true not only in those instances where we need to make a case for our own interests or launch new projects, but also in situations in which communities approach us to pose questions or discuss critical issues. We take the criticism of our stakeholders seriously and consider the points they bring up. This has enabled us to adopt new approaches in many places that reconcile the objectives of the company with those of the community.
Dialogue with capital market professionals is also becoming more important, as an increasing number of financial analysts and rating agencies are expressing interest in specific aspects of our sustainability activities and thus require detailed information.
Dialogue at the national level
HeidelbergCement is a member of both general and industry-specific associations that represent their members’ interests through a continual dialogue with the worlds of politics and business as well as the general public. Many of the associated cooperative partnerships focus on challenges that are specific to individual countries and to industrial policy with regard to raw material security, environmental protection, energy conservation and health and occupational safety. As a Group that has its headquarters in Germany, we are active in the “
econsense — Forum for Sustainable Development of German Business”, for example. This network consists of approximately 30 companies from various sectors that work together to make politicians more aware of the importance of establishing a reliable legislative framework that promotes the development of sustainable innovations. econsense utilises open and constructive dialogue to present the industry’s stance on sustainability and related concerns in order to help actively shape the corresponding political and social decision-making process.
HeidelbergCement and its subsidiaries are working with
Green Building Councils in several countries on the development of certification systems for sustainable construction, as well as on efforts to make the design, construction and operation of buildings more sustainable. In 2010 HeidelbergCement joined the Green Building Councils in Romania, Sweden and Poland and co-founded the Green Building Council in Norway.
Participation in the Cement Sustainability Initiative
On the international level, HeidelbergCement is a member of the
Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI), affiliated to the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). Within the framework of the initiative, we have teamed up with other cement manufacturers to develop guidelines and performance indicators for the following areas: climate protection, raw materials and fuels, health and occupational safety, and emissions and environmental impact. All CSI members must implement and comply with the associated regulations and voluntary commitments. The CSI also provides an appropriate platform for cooperation with external stakeholders at international and sector levels. One way it does so is by staging the annual CSI Forum, which brings together politicians, NGOs, industrial and business associations, and research institutes for a discussion with CSI members on key issues related to sustainability in the cement industry.
Political dialogue in Europe
European Union directives are increasingly affecting daily business operations in the cement industry and will also determine the sector’s future course regarding sustainability. HeidelbergCement therefore operates an EU Public Affairs department whose main task is to represent our interests in the European Cement Association (
CEMBUREAU), an organisation that speaks for European cement manufacturers in discussions and negotiations with the EU and its institutions. The key issues addressed by CEMBUREAU include the use of alternative raw materials and fuels, climate change, emissions, biodiversity and occupational health and safety. As a member of the EU Aggregates Association (
UEPG), HeidelbergCement is also now involved in advocacy activities related to aggregates. Our interests regarding concrete are represented by the European Ready-Mixed Concrete Organization (
ERMCO) and the EU Concrete Platform.
| Memberships HeidelbergCement Group |
| Business and Biodiversity Initiative |
| econsense - Forum for Sustainable Development of German Business |
| CEMBUREAU (The European Cement Association) |
| UEPG (European Aggregates Association) |
| ERMCO (European Ready Mixed Concrete Organisation) |
| EUCOPRO (European Association for Co-processing) |
| WBCSD CSI (Cement Sustainability Initiative of the WBCSD) |
| ECRA (European Cement Research Academy |
| CEPS (Centre for European Policy Studies) |
| Nanocem |
A selection memberships of our subsidiaries can be found
here.