Sustainability beyond CO₂ reduction

Here you will find our sustainability topics beyond CO₂, such as occupational safety, responsible procurement, biodiversity and human rights. Find out how we are committed to a sustainable future and improving our business practices to make a positive contribution to society.

Safety and inclusion

We place the health and wellbeing of employees, communities, and suppliers at the core of our business operations:

Diversity, equity and inclusion
Ensure that 25% of leadership positions are filled by women
Occupational health and safety
Achieve zero fatalities and reduce lost time injury frequency rate (LTIFR) by 50% compared with 2020
Community engagement
100% of our sites have community engagement plans; all employees are offered one day per year of paid leave for voluntary community work
Sustainable supplier structure
80% of critical supplier spend confirmed with a green ESG rating

Nature positive future

We contribute to a nature positive world with our industry-leading biodiversity programme and sustainable water management.

Biodiversity
100% of active quarries contribute to the global goal of nature positive, with 15% space for nature
Water
100% of sites in water-risk areas implement water management plans and water recycling systems

Environmental sustainability

Heidelberg Materials has committed to a nature positive goal, aiming to stop and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 through responsible land management and biodiversity-integrated reclamation plans. We work closely with nature conservation organizations like BirdLife International to minimize environmental impacts and promote biodiversity.

On water management, we focus on conservation and efficient use, implementing local strategies to address water scarcity. We employ an integrated approach to environmental risks and adapt our water reduction efforts to regional conditions for sustainable water management.

Social responsibility

Learn more about our commitment to our employees, occupational safety, local communities and environmental protection.

We offer attractive working conditions to our more than 51,000 employees worldwide and are committed to occupational health and safety. We are committed to social progress and create added value for our local communities. You can also find out how we work to protect the environment.

Governance and Compliance

We adhere to national and international laws and global standards. We are committed to the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the ILO Core Labour Standards, the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

We assess the ethical and compliant conduct of our employees and have set up a compliance reporting system so that any kind of unlawful conduct within our company can be reported.

Human rights

Our commitment to respect human rights in our business area and the supply chain is aligned with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the UN Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights.

We are guided by internationally recognized standards as a benchmark for measuring the impacts that our activities could cause.

Sustainable finance

We are aligning our sustainability targets with our financing strategy and supporting the transition to a low-carbon economy.

Learn more about how we are committed to sustainability-linked finance, achieving our goals, and what our Sustainability-Linked Financing Framework is.

Ratings and rankings

Heidelberg Materials has established an active ESG rating strategy. We are driving our strong performance across key rating agencies where we demonstrate excellence in environmental systems, stakeholder engagement, and business ethics. This resulted in remarkable ESG ratings, including the top score A for Climate Change from the CDP.

Recognition extends to prestigious listings such as the DAX 50 ESG and FTSE4Good Index, positioning Heidelberg Materials favourably in the growing market for responsible investments.

ESG documents

We want to be successful as a company in the long term. That is why we act sustainably and treat our resources, partner companies and employees responsibly. We minimize the negative impact of our business activities on the environment and society.

With our core competencies, we create benefits for society and economic opportunities for ourselves. Here you will find an overview of the key documents from the three ESG divisions Environment, Social and Governance.