Argos has been recognised as a global benchmark in sustainability in the construction materials sector for the ninth consecutive year, according to the Dow Jones Global Index.
The cement company and its holding Grupo Argos were positioned as leaders among 38 companies in the industry. Argos was also highlighted in the Latin American Integrated Market – Pacific Alliance.
Argos obtained the highest rating in the following categories: materiality, risk management, institutional relations, environmental reporting, water risk management, climate change strategy, social reporting, labour practices and human rights.
Maria Isabel Echeverri,Argoslegal and sustainability vice president, says: “At Argos, we are greatly satisfied with this result which places us as a world benchmark in sustainability and reassures our commitment to closing gaps and implementing best practices in social, environmental, financial and corporate governance matters. This drives us to continue moving forward in creating social value to build the dreams of housing and infrastructure for millions of people.”
Celsia, the energy company of Grupo Argos, stood out in the global ranking as the best in its industry in Colombia and the eighth in the world.
Some of the actions that led Cementos Argos to be recognised:
- Recently, the company shared its commitment to climate change mitigation through two challenging goals: to reduce, by 2030, carbon dioxide emissions by 29% in its cement operations and, by 2050, to offer carbon-neutral concrete, aligned with the Global Cement and Concrete Association’s Net Zero ambition.
- So far in 2021, Argos has three credits linked to ESG performance indicators.
- Implementing different sustainable transportation alternatives such as train, hybrid mixer trucks, gas-powered tractor-trailers and electric trucks.
- Green Bags Program, which consists, through reverse logistics, of collecting the bags used by its customers and then delivering them to companies that will make use of them.
- Use of calcined clays and other supplementary cementitious materials for the production of low-carbon cements.
- Purchase of electricity from renewable sources, such as the solar farm in Honduras and the purchase of electricity in Colombia with 100% renewable energy certification.
For more than 20 years the Dow Jones Sustainability Index has evaluated companies in 58 economic sectors and 27 countries based on sustainability criteria. This year the standards of around 3,500 of the world’s largest companies by market capitalisation were studied.
