Sustainability management

We want to incorporate our sustainability goals at all levels within the Group. We have therefore established a sustainability management approach that encompasses the whole Group, from Group management to the individual plants at our locations. The Sustainability Committee defines the strategy, programme and goals for sustainability at HeidelbergCement and verifies whether we have achieved our goals.

Environmental protection
In May 2008, we created the Group-wide department Group Environmental Sustainability. In collaboration with other specialist departments and experts at HeidelbergCement, the interdisciplinary team is responsible for the worldwide co-ordination of the Group's activities in the area of environmental protection and sustainability.

Social responsibility
The Group human resources manager implements the Managing Board's personnel strategy together with the human resources managers of the Group areas and countries. Occupational health and safety is also co-ordinated by the Group Human Resources department. In 2006, we established the Group guideline on occupational health and safety for our own employees, for employees from external companies and for customers and suppliers.

Risk management
Risk management systematically records and evaluates all risks in the various plants and regions – including social and ecological ones – that could threaten the existence of the Group. For an energy-intensive company such as HeidelbergCement, the rising fuel and electricity prices, with increasing global competition for natural resources, represent a considerable risk. Our risk portfolio also takes into account risks connected with climate change as well as the costs of climate protection.

The risk management system is co-ordinated by the Group Insurance & Corporate Risk department and ensures that risk developments are identified at an early stage and can be controlled.

Knowledge management
We have further expanded our knowledge network. The central component is the Group-wide intranet site World of Cement (WOC). This site makes the knowledge within the Group available to the employees. More than 850 employees now use WOC every month. In the Knowledge Management Board, representatives from the Group areas and the Heidelberg Technology Center (HTC) regulate our internal knowledge management and support our activities in bodies such as the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and the European cement association CEMBUREAU, as well as in national associations.