US environmental groups have stepped up campaigns to make Holcim (Switzerland) reduce its carbon footprint, writing to its chairman and potential investors in its North American business before it expands next year. Sustainability-focussed proxy adviser Actares (Switzerland), representing individual shareholders in Holcim, has backed the Concrete Change campaign started by non-profit Industrious Labs (US).
“Cement and concrete create nearly eight per cent of global emissions. That must change,” wrote Concrete Change in its letter to Holcim Chairman Jan Jenisch. Among their proposals, the campaigners want Holcim to phase out its use of energy-intensive wet kilns to make cement and to establish at least one net-zero cement plant in North America by 2030.
Holcim have not commented on the letter. The company plans to spin off 100 per cent of its North American business in the first half of 2025, valued at a potential US$30bn.
Last month Holcim bought a stake in Sublime Systems (USA), a tech start-up working on low-carbon cement. It is also establishing three projects in North America to capture 5Mta of CO2, functional from 2028.
