Sustainable supply chain

Holcim’s principles of respect for human and labor rights, protecting the environment and our commitments to climate and nature are integral to how we work with our suppliers.

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Sustainable supply chain FAQ

What are Holcim's sustainable procurement principles?

The standards and principles governing sustainable procurement at Holcim are based on:


•    the UN Global Compact Ten Principles 
•    the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises
•    the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights 
•    the International Labor Organization’s Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work


Our Supplier Code of Conduct and Sustainable Procurement Directive set the terms of engagements with our suppliers to ensure their commitment to upholding our high sustainability standards.
 

Our environmental, social, governance, health and safety standards are not limited to the boundaries of our work. We take action for responsible sourcing in our supply chain.

Real change requires collaboration. That’s why we are involved in a number of partnerships including the WEF First Movers Coalition and Sea Cargo Charter.

Maintaining our high standards across our value chain


To ensure sustainability in our value chain, we engage with our suppliers across three key areas.

Health, safety and environmental standards


At Holcim, we have stringent health, safety and environmental standards in place. We expect our suppliers to take the same care in safeguarding customers, employees and the surrounding environment.

Human rights due diligence


Human rights are a non-negotiable principle for our business and our suppliers’ operations. Our due diligence process is a key mechanism to identify, prevent, monitor and improve on human rights standards in our supply chain.

Innovation for sustainable solutions


As a global leader in innovative and sustainable building solutions, we work only with suppliers who share our commitment to push the boundaries of innovation to shape a sustainable future.

“At Holcim, we are proud of our commitment to sustainability throughout our value chain. Our suppliers, customers, partners and stakeholders trust that our high standards are maintained across our operations and beyond.”

EUGENIA CEBALLOS HUNZIKER| GROUP HEAD SUSTAINABLE PROCUREMENT AND IMPACT VALUATION
Find out more about our supply chain commitments

Partnering to scale up change

 

We believe it is essential to promote sustainability throughout the supply chain, to scale up change in our sector. This is why we are involved in a number of partnerships and alliances to decarbonize building.

Holcim is a founding member and co-chair of the CSC, which aims to develop a global responsible sourcing certification system.

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Green mobility


Decarbonizing road transport and using the greenest and most efficient transport options is key to reducing emissions in our supply chain. One essential reduction lever is the transition to zero-emissions heavy duty vehicles, but they are still not widely available in the market. 

For this reason, we signed the Call for Zero-Emission Freight Vehicles, led by the Transport Decarbonization Alliance. Through this commitment, we are highlighting the need for low-emission vehicles and encouraging our suppliers to transition to renewable energy for transportation. We are founding members of the First Movers Coalition of the World Economic Forum, to accelerate the demand and market availability of zero-emission trucks.

We are equally engaged in reducing CO2 emissions from maritime transportation, aligning with the International Maritime Organization’s Poseidon Principles for decarbonizing shipping. We signed the Sea Cargo Charter, which provides a framework to assess and disclose the ecological impact of ship chartering. This cross-industry collaboration is essential to increase customer demand for net-zero shipping.

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Positive social impact
 

Human rights are a cornerstone of our business, and we extend our high standards to our supply chain. We signed the 2021 Action Pledge to end child labor. We are increasing visibility about human rights in our extended high risk supply chain.

Access to water, sanitation and hygiene is also an essential part of our operations, and we expect our suppliers to uphold the same standards. Holcim is a signatory of the WASH Pledge. This commitment ensures we provide best practices in terms of water, sanitation and hygiene for our communities, employees and contractors.

Contributing to UN Sustainable Development Goals

We work to have a positive impact on all 17 UN SDGs. As part of our commitment to a sustainable supply chain, we have identified four goals where we can make a significant difference:

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How we are making it happen

Accelerating our net-zero truck fleet in Germany

In Germany, we launched a fleet of 100% electric trucks with a 420 km range which can be powered using electricity from our own windpark in Lägerdorf. These measures will enable us to reduce CO2 per ton of material transported by between 20% and 80%.

Building the Houses of Tomorrow

In the Philippines, the Kanya Kawayan Houses of Tomorrow project uses sustainable design techniques and low-carbon materials. It will create a space for the local community to turn waste from sugar cane into products they can sell to supplement incomes.

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