Concrete Sustainability Council draws global players to sourcing certification

The Global Cement and Concrete Association has joined the Concrete Sustainability Council (CSC), operator of the only world-wide, industry-specific certification program for concrete plants, along with their aggregate and cement supply chains. Responsible construction materials sourcing is an increasing priority in high profile projects and public procurement, London-based GCCA notes, adding that “Concrete has an important role to play and its short supply chains and local production lend themselves to demonstrat[ing] a high level of environmental, social and economic responsible sourcing.”

CSC has certified 160-plus cement, aggregate and concrete plants in eight countries. It was developed in 2017 with input from the Portland Cement Association and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI), whose activities more recently transitioned to GCCA. “We are delighted at the decision of the GCCA to champion the many sustainability benefits of concrete by putting their global reach behind the CSC,” says Council Chairman and HeidelbergCement Senior Manager of Sustainable Construction Dr Christian Artelt. “We look forward to reinforcing and accelerating our work with their support.”

“The CSC has established a highly-respected and internationally applicable responsible sourcing scheme for concrete and its main constituents of cement and aggregates,” adds GCCA Concrete and Sustainable Construction Director Dr. Andrew Minson. “Helping to extend the reach and use of CSC certification falls squarely in our wider mission of promoting sustainability across the whole value chain. 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.”

Based in Geneva, CSC is overseen by executive and technical committees with representatives from Cemex S.A.B de C.V., Buzzi Unicem, HeidelbergCement, LafargeHolcim and Titan Group. Alongside HeidelbergCement’s Artelt, LafargeHolcim Lead Manager, Sustainable Construction Michael Scharpf serves as Council vice chair.

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CSC-certified concrete plants


Five U.S. and two Canadian ready mixed plants are among 100-plus sites carrying Concrete Sustainability Council certification. Plants are audited in three categories: Management, with M1-6 for sustainable purchasing plan, environmental management, quality management, health & safety management, chain of custody and benchmark; Environmental, with E1-9 for environmental product information, land use, energy & climate, air quality, water use, biodiversity, secondary materials, transport and secondary fuels; and, Social, with S1-4 for product information, local community, health & safety and labor TABLE: 2017/2018 Concrete Sustainability Council Annual Report