HOLCIM LAUNCHES NATURE-POSITIVE STRATEGY WITH MEASURABLE 2030 BIODIVERSITY AND WATER TARGETS

• First in construction sector to commit to measurable positive impact on biodiversity with transformative rehabilitation plans
• Industry-leading commitment to replenish freshwater in water-risk areas by 2030 and targets to lower water intensity across all product lines
• Driving nature-based approach in products and solutions to bring nature into cities

Holcim announces its strategy to become nature-positive by restoring and preserving biodiversity and water while bringing more nature into cities. Holcim's positive impact on biodiversity is based on transformative rehabilitation plans and measured by a science-based methodology developed in partnership with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Preserving water across its business, Holcim targets to replenish freshwater in water-risk areas while lowering water intensity across all its product lines. Holcim will also accelerate the deployment of solutions such as Hydromedia and green roof systems for more liveable urban environments. Holcim’s nature-positive strategy places it among the 1% of the 500 largest global companies¹ with science-driven biodiversity targets and the first in its sector with a freshwater replenishment commitment.

Magali Anderson, Chief Sustainability and Innovation Officer, Holcim: “With nature at the heart of everything we do, I am pleased that we are taking significant steps to improve our biodiversity and water stewardship in a measurable and science-driven way. Building on our net zero commitment, our nature-based solutions play a vital role in reducing the impact of climate change and increasing our business’ resilience. Becoming nature-positive plays a critical role in our vision to build progress for people and the planet.”

Eva Zabey, Executive Director, Business for Nature: “We congratulate Holcim for its ambitious biodiversity and water goals as part of its nature-positive journey. Implementing Holcim’s nature strategy can drive scalable change both within the building materials sector and industry as a whole. We need all businesses to rapidly step up their actions and commitments to protect and restore the ecosystems on which we all rely to create healthy and resilient societies.”

On its journey to become nature-positive, Holcim commits to:

• Delivering a measurable positive impact on biodiversity by 2030 based on the Biodiversity Indicator Reporting System (BIRS) developed in partnership with IUCN, with:
  • Global BIRS baseline completed in all managed land by 2024
  • All quarries with rehabilitation plans by 2022
• Replenishing freshwater in water-risk areas by 2030, with:
  • 75% of sites to be water-positive
  • 100% of sites to be equipped with water recycling systems
• Lowering water intensity across business lines² by 2030, with:
  • 33% reduction in Cement
  • 20% reduction in Aggregates
  • 15% reduction in Ready-Mix Concrete

Holcim will continue to develop and deploy its nature-based approach across its products and solutions. For instance, its bioactive concrete restores marine ecosystems, its Firestone roofing systems contain the urban heat island effect and its Hydromedia permeable concrete recharges groundwater, allowing urban forests to grow. Scaling up its impact across its supply chain, Holcim ensures that all its environmentally critical suppliers operate according to recognized environmental management systems.

For more information on Holcim’s nature-positive strategy, visit https://www.holcim.com/nature.

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How can we contribute to building a nature-positive future? Join us on 8 September, 2021 as we discuss how to bring nature into the built environment to preserve biodiversity and improve water stewardship for people and the planet. Register here for this exciting 1 hour webinar.

¹Review of the top 500 companies of the Forbes Global 2000.

²Compared to 2018 baseline, 2030 targets equal to 211 liters/ton of cement, 179 liters/ton of aggregates and 219 liters/m3 of
ready-mix concrete.

ABOUT HOLCIM

Holcim builds progress for people and the planet. As a global leader in innovative and sustainable building solutions, Holcim is enabling greener cities, smarter infrastructure and improving living standards around the world. With sustainability at the core of its strategy Holcim is becoming a net zero company, with its people and communities at the heart of its success. The company is driving the circular economy as a world leader in recycling to build more with less. Holcim is the company behind some of the world’s most trusted brands in the building sector including ACC, Aggregate Industries, Ambuja Cement, Disensa, Firestone Building Products, Geocycle, Holcim and Lafarge. Holcim is 70,000 people around the world who are passionate about building progress for people and the planet through four business segments: Cement, Ready-Mix Concrete, Aggregates and Solutions & Products.

More information is available on www.holcim.com

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER - FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This document contains forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements do not constitute forecasts regarding results or any other performance indicator, but rather trends or targets, as the case may be, including with respect to plans, initiatives, events, products, solutions and services, their development and potential. Although Holcim believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions as at the time of publishing this document, investors are cautioned that these statements are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results may differ materially from the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of Holcim, including but not limited to the risks described in the Holcim's annual report available on its website (www.holcim.com) and uncertainties related to the market conditions and the implementation of our plans. Accordingly, we caution you against relying on forward-looking statements. Holcim does not undertake to provide updates of these forward-looking statements.