Effective management of safety, health, environment, quality, energy, carbon reduction, and responsible sourcing is of key importance to the sustained success of our business. We have a single sustainability policy, which is regularly reviewed and communicated to employees, contractors, visitors, key stakeholders and our supply chain to inform and promote wider adoption of responsible practices.
As a minimum, we comply with all applicable legal and regulatory requirements. Co-operation in the effective implementation of the policy is a condition of employment, partnership and supply.
Business and product innovation
We will ensure continuous business and product innovation. We:
- Engage with our stakeholders to encourage innovative development of our products, services and manufacturing systems to continually improve our sustainability performance.
- Inform our customers about the functional, environmental and safety performance of our products.
- Adopt a systematic and integrated approach and are committed to achieving the highest standards in complying with ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO 45003, ISO 50001, BES 6001, National Highway Sector Scheme 16 and the relevant CE certification marking schemes.
Health, safety and wellbeing
We will ensure Heidelberg Materials is a safe and healthy place to work. We:
- Are committed to eliminating risk in the workplace through monitoring performance and implementation of best practice.
- Develop and implement action plans to ensure the health, safety and mental wellbeing of our employees and have enhanced occupational health surveillance for their benefit.
- Are committed to the continual improvement of the suitability, adequacy and effectiveness of the OH&S management system.
Environmental responsibility
We are committed to fulfilling our share of the responsibility to keep the global temperature rise below 1.5° Celsius and we will continue to reduce our impact on air, land and water. We:
- Have stringent targets to reduce emissions to air from all our operations.
- Will transition our operational fleets from traditional combustion engines to alternative forms of energy and, through collaboration with suppliers, our fleets will be more efficient through new technology.
- Set science-based targets to reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption, reduce the use of fossil fuel through efficiency improvements and the use of alternative and renewable sources.
- Seek to apply the principles of environmental stewardship throughout our operations. by managing and restoring our sites to ensure land remains of value; implementing biodiversity net gain and safeguarding geodiversity where appropriate.
- Use water efficiently, recycle where possible and protect water quality.
Resource use and the circular economy
We will conserve natural resources. We:
- Use resources appropriately and sustainably and, where possible, substitute primary resources with alternative materials.
- Adopt the waste hierarchy of waste prevention, reuse of materials, recycling, co-processing and energy recovery to minimise waste disposal and maximise productivity.
- Develop products that improve the quality and sustainability of the built environment and seek to eliminate all non-conforming products.
Being a good neighbour
We are committed to making a positive contribution to the communities close to our operations and ensuring transparent communication to all our stakeholders. We:
- Identify and consult with local community stakeholders close to our operations.
- Have a programme of employee volunteering days to work on community projects.
- Provide employment, economic activity using local sourcing and local businesses where practical, and build our own business on the basis of responsible practices.
Fairness, inclusion and respect
We will be a fair, respectful and inclusive company; encouraging a culture that values openness and transparency and recognises individual achievement. We:
- Strive for the fair treatment of all our employees and everyone in our supply chain.
- Value our workforce and, by recruitment, selection and development of employees, contractors and suppliers, ensure they are appropriately skilled and competent to carry out their roles.
- Are committed to the consultation and participation of workers and workers’ representatives through formal mechanisms.
