In November 2019 FLSmidth announced its sustainability ambition for 2030 entitled ‘MissionZero’ which aligns with some of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals to address climate change. Thomas Schulz, CEO of FLSmidth, explains the programme’s objectives and goals as the company focusses on helping its cement industry customers on their journey towards zero environmental impact from production.
ICR: What prompted FLSmidth to draw up the MissionZero plan and what are its key objectives?
Thomas Schulz (TS): The cement industry has always chased productivity gains and innovation has been directed towards making processes more efficient. Increased efficiency means less consumption of resources such as fuel and power, which is a key driver for sustainability. So, in one sense, this is nothing new. What is new is the accelerated pace and collective sense of urgency within the industry. The Paris Agreement has certainly played a role in that, but the trend is also reinforced by other government initiatives, investors, a proliferation of CO2 pricing and even societal expectations.
