LafargeHolcim wagers decarbonization strategy on novel sorbent technology for CO₂ capture

March 12, 2021 | Case Study

LafargeHolcim is an international company based in Switzerland that manufactures building materials and has operations in 70 countries. The company has four business segments: cement, aggregates, ready-mix concrete, and solutions and products. For its manufacturing operations and products sold in 2020, LafargeHolcim generated 555 kg of CO₂ per ton of cementitious material (kg of CO₂/ton) in Scope 1 emissions, 36 kg of CO₂/ton in Scope 2 emissions, and 29 million tons of CO₂ in Scope 3 emissions. In September 2020, the cement manufacturer announced its commitment to net-zero emissions that align with the Paris Agreement by 2050, and it is working to develop a net-zero roadmap with long-term targets for reducing Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions. The company has already set midterm targets for 2030, which will involve reducing Scope 1 emissions to 475 kg of CO₂/ton and Scope 2 emissions to 13 kg of CO₂/ton. LafargeHolcim has yet to set mid-term targets for Scope 3 emissions but will use 2020 results as a baseline to define actionable reduction targets for 2030.