Home Page > Sustainability > Our Sustainability Agenda > Sustainable Development Task Force

Sustainable Development Task Force

The UK cement industry established a Sustainable Development Task Force in November 2004 for the purpose of developing a framework within which sustainable development could be incorporated into the future activities of the BCA and its members by November 2005. In addition, the task force considered ways to improve the industry's role of delivering sustainable construction in a sustainable society. 

The year long task force has achieved its objective of setting an agenda for future activities and shaping industry’s sustainability strategy.

The task force focused on five principal areas: improving communications; the business case for cement; a Carbon Strategy to take the industry to 2050; a Cement Makers’ Code; and annual publication of a corporate responsibility report, Performance.

Task force achievements

• Identifying stakeholder groups with whom it needs to be engaged in dialogue
• Development of a long-term carbon strategy, demonstrating the industry's commitment to reducing direct carbon dioxide emissions from cement kilns and transport, and indirectly from electricity use
• Building a sustainability Business Case for the industry to aid discussion with stakeholders, government departments and agencies
• Publishing Performance, the industry's corporate responsibility report
• Developing a Cement Makers' Code

In November 2005, the UK cement industry’s Sustainable Development Task Force published working towards sustainability (pdf, 745kb), a report launched by Jonathan Porritt, Chairman of the Sustainable Development Commission, at the House of Commons, setting the strategy for the UK cement industry’s response to sustainable development. This first report was the outcome of the initial work developed by the task force towards the achievement of the cement industry vision and objectives on sustainability.

The Rt Hon Alun Michael MP, then Minister of Industry and the Regions, welcomed the initiative and said: "Cement is an essential building material for this country and it is good to see an industry looking to foster a dialogue with those it affects, for the benefit of all."

Read Alun Michael's speech from the launch event.

Read the press release issued on the launch event.

In May 2007, a second report working towards sustainability 2 has been published which charts further progress the cement industry has made against the objectives it set itself on sustainability.

Feedback

The cement industry is proud of its progress to date and is determined to achieve its goal of being recognised as leading the way by 2010. The BCA welcomes any comment you may have on this report or any other aspect of the industry's work. Contact details.