The agenda on climate change and biodiversity loss has led to a drive for improved transparency in company environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) disclosures. Trinity Consultants advises on best practice for US cement producers. By Wendy Merz, Trinity Consultants, USA.
In the past seven years, there have been multiple global initiatives driving enhanced transparency regarding environmental, social and governance (ESG)-related information, and an organisation’s material risks and opportunities related to sustainability. In 2015 the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were developed to bring together governments, civil society and the private sector to address a wide range of global challenges. There are 17 SDGs to be achieved by 2030, and companies are increasingly aligning their sustainability initiatives and resulting disclosures to these goals. SDGs that are likely to be important for cement companies include:
• SDG 6: ensuring sustainable water management
• SDG 8: promoting full and productive employment and safe working environments
• SDG 9: building resilient infrastructure
• SDG 11: constructing sustainable cities
• SDG 13: combatting climate change
• SDG 15: halting and reversing land degradation and biodiversity loss.
