Lafarge Africa Unveils 2022 Sustainability Report - Leading the Charge for Sustainable Development in Nigeria
Lagos, Nigeria, Monday, November 6, 2023. – Leading innovative and sustainable building solutions company, Lafarge Africa Plc., today announced the release of its 2022 Sustainability Report. This comprehensive report highlights the company's unwavering dedication to sustainability and showcases its commitment to fostering a better future for both people and the planet.
The report details Lafarge Africa's remarkable progress and significant achievements across its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives during the period spanning 1st January 2022 to 31st December 2022.
Since the inception of the sustainability reporting journey in 2015, Lafarge Africa Plc has remained steadfast in its commitment to transparency and accountability. This commitment has not only bolstered stakeholder confidence but has also resulted in several recognitions and awards including the prestigious 2022 NGX Made of Africa Award for sustainability Reporting, affirming the company’s leading role in driving sustainable development in Nigeria.
“I am delighted to present Lafarge Africa Plc's latest Sustainability Report, highlighting our steadfast commitment to sustainability and our ongoing journey towards a greener future,” said Prince Adebode Adefioye, Chairman of Lafarge Africa Plc. “The theme of this report, 'Shaping a Greener Future through Innovation and Collaboration,' encapsulates our dedication to fostering positive environmental and social impacts while upholding strong governance practices.”
The report emphasizes Lafarge Africa's exemplary performance across its four sustainability pillars, namely Climate and Energy, Circular Economy, Nature, and People, underscoring the company's comprehensive approach to sustainable business practices.
“We truly believe that sustainable practices are critical for delivering shared value and building a resilient future, particularly in the light of challenging business environment we find ourselves,” stated Lolu Alade-Akinyemi, GMD/CEO, Lafarge Africa Plc. “With the unwavering support and collaborative efforts of our shareholders, employees, customers, and communities, we were able to innovate in the areas of manufacturing, supply chain and service delivery to create value for all our stakeholders while preserving our planet for the future generations. Our 2022 Sustainability Report highlights the milestones we have achieved on this journey.”
According to Alade-Akinyemi, the company during the year achieved a 3.7% reduction in its CO2 emissions from 595 kgCO2 /t in 2021 to 574 kgCO2 /t in 2022 through the use of Alternative Fuel and the deployment of energy-efficient technologies across its production and distribution processes, achieving a global thermal substitution rate of 13.5% compared to 9.4% recorded in 2021. It also continued to work diligently towards restoring biodiversity and ecosystems in areas affected by its operations. “By adopting best practices and engaging with local communities, we ensured that our quarry rehabilitation efforts not only met regulatory requirements but also created sustainable livelihoods for host communities through employment and job creation as well as other social impact programmes.”
The social impact performance aspect of the report underscores the company's unwavering commitment to the well-being of its stakeholders as it continues to foster partnerships with communities, governments, and non-profit organisations to address social challenges and make positive impact. “We continue to focus on the areas with the most needs for our communities by implementing interventions in Education, employment and empowerment, health and safety as well as shelter and infrastructure.
Lafarge Africa's robust Innovative strategies have been instrumental in driving the company's sustainable development agenda, while actively engaging with key stakeholders to address their concerns and incorporate their perspectives into its decision-making processes.
“Our team is indeed proud of the giant strides we made in 2022 but more importantly is committed to how we as a responsible organisation is truly ‘Building Progress for People and the Planet,” emphasized Titilope Oguntuga, Head, Sustainable Development & Corporate Brand, Lafarge Africa Plc.
“Our approach to emerging trends and regulations has been to proactively monitor and engage, equip our teams with available resources and reinforce our approach in line with the global strategy of our organisation,” she added.
The 2022 Sustainability Report vividly illustrates Lafarge Africa's steadfast adherence to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards for 2021, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), and the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) Sustainability Disclosures, demonstrating the company's alignment with international best practices in sustainability reporting.
For more information and to access the full 2022 Sustainability Report, please visit our official website.
About Lafarge Africa Plc
Lafarge Africa Plc, a leading Sub-Saharan Africa building solutions company is a member of Holcim Limited, a world leader in building solutions accelerating our world’s green transformation. Listed on the Nigerian Exchange Group, Lafarge Africa is actively participating in the urbanization and economic growth of Nigeria, the largest economy in Africa.
Lafarge Africa has the widest footprint in Nigeria with cement operations in the South West (Ewekoro and Sagamu in Ogun State), North East (Ashaka, in Gombe State), South East (Mfamosing, Cross Rivers State) with Ready-Mix operations in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt. Lafarge Africa has a current installed cement production capacity of 10.5Mtpa.
Lafarge Africa leverages on its innovative expertise to provide value-added products and services solutions in the building and construction industry in Nigeria. Additional information is available on the website at www.lafarge.com.ng.
About Holcim
Holcim builds progress for people and the planet. As a global leader in innovative and sustainable building solutions, Holcim is enabling greener cities, smarter infrastructure and improving living standards around the world. With sustainability at the core of its strategy Holcim is becoming a net zero company, with its people and communities at the heart of its success. The company is driving the circular economy as a world leader in recycling to build more with less. Holcim is the company behind some of the world’s most trusted brands in the building sector including ACC, Aggregate Industries, Ambuja Cement, Disensa, Firestone Building Products, Geocycle, Holcim and Lafarge. Holcim is 70,000 people around the world who are passionate about building progress for people and the planet through four business segments: Cement, Ready-Mix Concrete, Aggregates and Solutions & Products.
More information is available on www.holcim.com
CONTACT
Ginikanwa Frank-Durugbor
Head, Corporate Communications
Ginikanwa.frank-durugbor@lafarge.com
