Cemex leads Latin American carbon footprint disclosure rankings

The Carbon Disclosure Project’s (CDP) latest report, CDP Investor Latin America 2012, has named Cemex as the best Latin American company in terms of climate change data disclosure. The report, which comprises data on the emissions of greenhouse gases from 32 major companies in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Peru, has also placed Cemex in the top ten in its overall carbon emissions performance rankings.

The CDP is a UK-based independent non-governmental organisation that possesses the world’s largest database on corporate impact on climate change. Indeed, Harvard Business Review has named it one of the most powerful green NGOs.

Among the companies that took part in the report and were also highlighted for outstanding performance and disclosure policies were Vale, Itaúsa, Walmart de Mexico, Petrobras and Banorte.

A Cemex press release stated that outstanding climate change data disclosure is indicative of an approach to climate change deeply integrated into the company’s overall strategy in the form of a transparent measurement and disclosure of the company’s carbon footprint.

One of Cemex’s most important initiatives in this area is its CO₂ footprint tool – the first of its kind in the building materials industry – that allows the company to measure the greenhouse gas emissions of its cement, ready-mix concrete and aggregates products. The footprint tool takes a cradle-to-gate approach, from raw material sourcing to product manufacturing. This not only allows Cemex to maintain the transparency of its own carbon footprint, but also provides significant assistance to its customers in calculating the carbon footprint of their own projects.

This high placing follows the recent news of Cemex’s commitment to Mexico’s clean energy fund, whereby it will provide clean energy project expertise to all of the fund’s proects. In 2011, Cemex achieved a 22.7% reduction on CO₂ net emissions per ton of cement produced relative to its 1990 baseline. This percentage equates to yearly emissions equivalent to those of 1.3 million passenger vehicles. In the same year, the company’s rate of alternative fuel usage rose to approximately 25%, a good improvement on its rate of 20.3% in 2010 and in line with its target of 35% alternative fuels substitution rate by 2015.

Adapted from press release by Jack Davidson.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/the-americas/02112012/cement_cemex_leads_carbon_disclosure_rankings_725/