Holcim and IUCN continue working together

IUCN and Holcim renewed their agreement to work together for another three years, from 2011 to 2013. The renewed collaboration will support the effective implementation of Holcim’s Biodiversity Management System (BMS). Additional areas of cooperation include defining indicators for measuring the success of the biodiversity management system, and developing a water management protocol. The partnership is also intended to further the exchange of experience with other businesses in the wider building material sector. The new agreement strongly relies on implementation on the ground and will therefore require continued cooperation between IUCN and Holcim at the country and regional levels.

Four key areas of work feature in the new agreement:

1. Implementation of the BMS: IUCN and Holcim will develop tools, build capacities and establish indicators for ensuring the effective implementation by Holcim’s operations on the ground.

2. Influencing policy: IUCN and Holcim will work with policy makers to enable the building materials sector to deliver better biodiversity conservation outcomes.

3. Sector-wide engagement: The partners will work together to influence the development of sector-wide standards for biodiversity conservation.

4. Water management programme: Strengthening the approach to Water Management for the Holcim Group, including developing tools for measuring and mitigating water risk.

IUCN and Holcim began working together in 2007 with the aim of strengthening biodiversity management within Holcim’s operations. Throughout the first four years, an IUCN-led Panel of Independent Experts visited various Holcim sites in seven countries to devise a set of recommendations for an integrated approach to biodiversity management for the company. To complement the global programme, Holcim and IUCN have, in the last four years, engaged in local activities in Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Spain and China. The engagement at both global and local levels has enabled IUCN to develop a better understanding of an environmentally important global industry.

For more information, visit our Holcim pages.