Grasping the sustainability nettle: lessons from the cement sector

Business' efforts to engage with the challenge of sustainable development have stepped up a gear with the publication of two major reports on the global cement and mining industries. Greater use of alternative fuels and raw materials forms the main plank in the cement industry's strategy to improve its environmental performance. But the report skates over the profound long-term challenge which climate change poses to the sector - and side-steps the issue of reducing demand for cement through sustainable construction practices. The world's largest cement companies are now drawing up an action plan in response to the recommendations.