GCCA joins forces with Concrete Sustainability Council

Driving environmental and social benefits of concrete through responsible sourcing certification a key aim

THE Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) has announced today [11 April] that it is formally joining the Concrete Sustainability Council (CSC) – adding its support to the only worldwide industry-specific system which certifies the sustainability performance of concrete plants and their supply chain across the globe.

With responsible sourcing of construction materials being an increasing priority in high-profile construction projects and in public procurement, concrete has an important role to play and, with its short supply chains and local production, lends itself to being able to demonstrate a high level of environmental, social and economic responsible sourcing.

Developed in conjunction with social and environmental stakeholders, the CSC is the industry-recognized authentication system, with more than 160 plants certified to its standards across eight different countries.

Commenting on GCCA’s new membership, CSC chairman Dr Christian Artelt said: ‘We are delighted at the decision of the GCCA to champion the many sustainability benefits of concrete by putting their global reach behind the CSC. We look forward to reinforcing and accelerating our work with their support.’

Dr Andrew Minson, concrete and sustainable construction director with the GCCA, said: ‘The CSC has established a highly respected and internationally applicable responsible-sourcing scheme for concrete and its main constituents of cement and aggregates. Helping to extend the reach and use of CSC certification across the globe falls squarely in our wider mission of promoting sustainability across the whole value chain.’

Clients, developers and contractors can be assured of socially and environmentally responsible practices through the concrete supply chain when specifying CSC-certified concrete. Internationally recognized sustainable project-assessment methods, such as BREEAM and DGNB, credit design teams and their projects with points when CSC-certified concrete is specified and procured.

Dr Minson added: ‘Encouraging uptake of certification and having best practice spread more widely through the concrete industry is a win-win towards demonstrating tangible sustainability improvements for designers, developers, concrete suppliers and cement manufacturers.