MPA Cement 2012 Sustainable Development Report
Cement industry sets out its broader aspirations in its first full sustainable development report
THE Minerals Products Association – Cement has this week published its first full sustainable development report.
Marking a significant change from traditionally reporting principally on its environmental performance, the new sustainable development report sees the industry setting out its broader sustainable development aspirations, not only in the manufacturing process, but also in how cement can help contribute to a more sustainable environment, economy and society.
Commenting on the report, Dr Pal Chana, executive director of MPA Cement, said: ‘This report highlights the crucial role cement plays in our everyday lives. From building new homes and much-needed infrastructure, to laying the foundations for the emerging green economy, a thriving, competitive, domestic cement industry is vital.’
Cement manufacturing is an energy-intensive business with a physical environmental footprint. MPA member companies are acutely aware of this and strive, on a daily basis, to improve performance and minimize the impact on the environment.
Whether it is robust health and safety policies and procedures, nurturing biodiversity in disused quarries or driving down industrial emissions to levels that out-perform those set by the Environment Agency, MPA Cement members are engaged in a programme of continual improvement.
Nowhere is this better illustrated than the publication of the UK Cement Industry 2050 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategy, which sets an ambitious target of cutting carbon emissions by 81% by 2050 – the first national cement sector in the world to launch such a strategy.
Dr Chana added: ‘Our sustainable development challenges are many and varied, but our strength lies in recognizing what these are, setting them out clearly for external stakeholders to see, implementing the measures necessary to meet these challenges, and reporting on progress.
‘This first full sustainable development report for the UK cement industry is an important step along a journey that is leading us to a more sustainable future.’
