.png)
Ambuja Cements Limited becomes first ever Cement Company to make it to the “A” list in Global Water Stewardship by CDP
· The company has been given an ‘A’ score for water security based on its disclosure in 2021. Globally, no other cement company has achieved this feat.
Mumbai, 8th December, 2021: Ambuja Cements Limited, a member of Holcim group has been recognized for leadership in corporate sustainability by global environmental non-profit CDP, securing a place on its prestigious ‘A List’ for tackling water security. In 2020, Ambuja Cements is also the only the company to be certified as 8 times water positive in the industry.
Ambuja Cements is one of a small number of high-performing companies out of nearly 12,000 that were scored. Through significant demonstrable action to protect water resources, the company is leading on corporate environmental ambition, action and transparency worldwide. CDP’s annual environmental disclosure and scoring process is widely recognized as the gold standard of corporate environmental transparency. In 2021, over 590 investors with over US$110 trillion in assets and 200 major purchasers with US$5.5 trillion in procurement spend requested companies to disclose data on environmental impacts, risks and opportunities through CDP’s platform. A record-breaking 13,000 companies responded.
A detailed and independent methodology is used by CDP to assess these companies, allocating a score of A to D- based on the comprehensiveness of disclosure, awareness and management of environmental risks and demonstration of best practices associated with environmental leadership, such as setting ambitious and meaningful targets. Those that don’t disclose or provided insufficient information are marked with an F.
Mr. Neeraj Akhoury, MD & CEO, Ambuja Cements Limited and CEO India, Holcimsaid, “Water has always been the key focus area for Ambuja Cement. This is a proud moment for the company to be recognized for its improved performance in "Water Security" in CDP 2021 (Carbon Disclosure Project) with best ever “A” score. This achievement reaffirms our will to remain committed to address water scarcity issues in future and contribute to the establishment of sustainable tomorrow.”
Ambuja Cements has adopted a number of methods to optimise water use, through prudent utilisation and harvesting initiatives. Ambuja Cements’ Sustainable Development Ambition 2030 lays down a target to reduce specific freshwater withdrawal by 15% by 2030. The company is constantly evolving its portfolio to reduce the risk of unsustainable consumption of natural resources especially water. The three initiatives (Concrete Mix proportions, Modular Curing, and Rainwater Harvesting) helped the company in saving ~70 million litres of water, a robust step towards sustainable construction initiative. The company will continue to advocate for environmentally friendly solutions by actively taking part in such initiatives.
Paul Simpson, CEO of CDP, said, “Many congratulations to all the companies on this year’s A List. Taking the lead on environmental transparency and action is one of the most important steps businesses can make, even more so in the year of COP26 and the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report. The scale of the risk to businesses from climate change, water insecurity and deforestation can no longer be ignored, and we know the opportunities of action far outweigh the risks of inaction. Leadership from the private sector is essential for securing global ambitions for a net-zero, nature positive and equitable world. Our A List celebrates those companies who are preparing themselves to excel in the economy of the future by taking action today.”
Sustainability being embedded in company’s core strategy, Ambuja Cements, in 2021, was once again ranked 5th globally by the internationally renowned Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) in the construction materials category.