Hoffmann Green Cement Technologies reaffirms its environmental and social strategy

Ever since its creation, Hoffmann Green’s goal has been to decarbonise the construction sector by producing and marketing clinker-free low-carbon cement with a carbon footprint five times lower that of traditional cement. In 2020, Hoffmann Green formalised a global CSR approach and has now obtained a number of positive assessments that illustrate the company’s commitment in this respect.

Julien Blanchard and David Hoffmann, co-founders of Hoffmann Green Cement Technologies, say: “CSR-related issues are at the very heart of Hoffmann Green’s raison d’être, which is to decarbonise the construction sector. We are very proud to see that our commitment to sustainable development is being rewarded by positive assessments from both domestic and international players. We will continue our efforts to maintain this impactful approach’s momentum and thus work to deploy our global low-carbon strategy: reduce, avoid and offset our emissions!”

Undertaking of a Scope 3 carbon assessment and high rating obtained in the ACT database

Bilan Carbone^® scope 3 allows Hoffmann Green, on the strength of the Net Zero Initiative^® database developed by the Carbone 4 consulting firm, to initiate an approach assessing its contribution to 2050 carbon neutrality. This approach was launched last year on the basis of 2019 data, incorporating a scope that includes direct emissions (scope 1), indirect emissions associated with energy consumption (scope 2) and emissions incurred by the company’s activity (scope 3): capital assets, inputs, purchases of raw materials, services or other products, employees’ travel, upstream and downstream transport of goods. To date, greenhouse gas emissions associated with 2019 activity total 2400 metric tons of CO₂ equivalent, with 99% of emissions coming within scope 3. The weight of direct and indirect carbon emissions (scopes 1 and 2) is lower than the reduction in emissions resulting from the use of Hoffmann Green cement instead of traditional cement. Expanding to emissions associated with scope 3 and notably the incorporation of capital assets, inputs and upstream and downstream freight represent sources of additional reductions in Hoffmann Green Cement Technologies’ impact. Hoffmann Green is one of the first cement manufacturers to produce and publish its carbon assessment undertaken on all three scopes.

At the same time, in a spirit of transparency and in order to have an accurate assessment of the impact of its activity, Hoffmann Green has committed to following the ACT (Assessing low Carbon Transition^®) approach, an initiative developed by ADEME (the French agency for ecological transition) and the Carbon Disclosure Project to assess companies’ climate strategies. Hoffmann Green has obtained a rating of 13A+, one of the highest ratings in the ACT database, reflecting the pertinence of its business model. The average rating obtained by cement companies participating in the ACT pilot program in 2020 in France was 9B+.

Integration in Ethifinance’s Gaïa-Index and a Sustainalytics rating highlighting CSR performances

The company’s ESG (Environment, Social & Governance) performances have been assessed by two independent players specialising in extra-financial ratings. Hoffmann Green has thus received a rating of 54 from consulting agency Ethifinance, up three points on last year. This assessment puts the company in 131st place in Gaïa Rating’s ESG 230 panel and in 23rd place out of 78 companies in the panel with revenue of less than €150 million. The company has also received a rating of 20.8 from international ratings agency Sustainalytics, putting it in 3rd place of the 115 companies assessed that produce building materials.

A committed approach with Reforest’Action

In order to support projects aimed at restoring the environment and protecting biodiversity, Hoffmann Green is involved in a reforestation action in France in association with Reforest’Action. During the 2019 – 2020 season, Hoffmann Green thus planted 10 000 trees in the Occitanie region of southern France, which will enable 1500 metric tons of CO₂ to be stored in 30 years. This approach is fully in line with the Group’s DNA and is a practical addition to its low-carbon strategy.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/europe-cis/11022021/hoffmann-green-cement-technologies-reaffirms-its-environmental-and-social-strategy/