Source: Global Cement and Concrete Association, London; CP staff
The Global Cement and Concrete Association has joined the Concrete Sustainability Council (CSC), which operates the world’s only industry-specific certification program for concrete plants and their supply chains. Responsible construction materials sourcing is an increasing priority in high profile projects and public procurement, GCCA notes, adding that “Concrete has an important role to play and its short supply chains and local production lend themselves to being able to demonstrate a high level of environmental, social and economic responsible sourcing.”
CSC has certified 160-plus plants in eight countries, and was developed in 2017 with input from the Portland Cement Association and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s Cement Sustainability Initiative, whose activities more recently transitioned to GCCA. “The CSC has established a highly-respected and internationally applicable responsible sourcing scheme for concrete and its main constituents of cement and aggregates,” says GCCA Concrete and Sustainable Construction Director Dr. Andrew Minson.
“Helping to extend the reach and use of CSC certification across the globe falls squarely in our wider mission of promoting sustainability across the whole value chain,” he adds. “Encouraging uptake of certification and having best practice spread more widely through the concrete industry is a win-win towards demonstrating tangible sustainability improvements—for designers, developers, concrete suppliers and cement manufacturers.”
Project principals can be assured of socially and environmentally responsible practices through the concrete supply chain when specifying CSC-certified concrete, GCCA affirms. Internationally recognized sustainable project assessment methods such as BREEAM and DGNB, moreover, credit design teams and their projects with points when such material is specified and procured.
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