US Environmental Groups Urge Holcim to Cut Their Carbon Footprint Ahead of Their North American Expansion

US environmental groups urge Holcim to cut carbon emissions and push it towards net zero plants and sustainable methods for cement production in advance of a North American expansion.

The US environmental groups are ramping up pressure on Holcim, the Swiss cement giant, to slash its carbon emissions just as it appears the company intends to expand in North America next year. The Concrete Change campaign, run by non-profit Industrious Labs, wrote in a letter to Holcim Chairman Jan Jenisch that 'the need for action is urgent' as cement production contributes almost 8 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

First, they are pushing to phase out energy intensive wet kilns making cement, and second, they are calling for at least one net zero cement plant in North America by 2030. Individual Holcim shareholders have been lent support by the Swiss sustainability-focused proxy adviser Actares, which is backed by the company's existing proxy advisers Glass Lewis and ISS.

That letter, according to Holcim, has yet to bounce back. The company said it intends to break up its North American operations, valued at about $30 billion, in the first half of 2025.

Last year, to add to its sustainability credentials, Holcim bought a stake in US tech startup Sublime Systems, which focuses on low carbon cement solutions. The company is also starting three carbon capture projects in North America; they want to catch 5 million tons of CO2 by 2028.

In its growing scrutiny ahead of a major corporate shift Holcim is facing mounting environmental pressures involving its own emissions and its sustainability practices.