Can cement be ‘green’? UltraTech shows the way

UltraTech is working on multiple fronts to bolster its credentials as the sustainability leader in the building material sector

Sustainability is at the core of UltraTech’s business philosophy and the underpinning force for all its activities. Guided by the Aditya Birla Group’s sustainability framework, the cement major is working on multiple fronts to drive sustainability across its value chain and build a sustainable business.

The initiatives include partnering other manufacturers to lead the global fight against climate change and tweaking its processes and products to reduce the environmental impact of its activities.

As India’s biggest cement manufacturer, UltraTech has taken the lead in driving sustainability in the cement industry. It is a founding member of the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) and it recently joined the '2050 Climate Ambition' as part of its sustainability journey.

Climate Ambition

The '2050 Climate Ambition' represents the collective aspirations of member companies to deliver carbon neutral concrete by 2050. It identifies the essential levers that will be required to achieving carbon neutral concrete.

“UltraTech is a firm believer that companies across the built environment can come together and build climate resilient structures in a below 1.5-degree world. We believe this journey will be challenging but are fully committed to working together within our sector, and with wider partners, to achieve our ambition,” UltraTech MD Kailash Jhanwar said.

Climate Change

Climate change agenda has been core to UltraTech Cement’s business growth strategy. The company has adopted new age tools like Science Based Target Initiative (SBTi), Internal Carbon Price and Energy Productivity (#EP100) as part of its efforts to accelerate adoption of low carbon technologies and processes across its value chain and thus reduce carbon footprint over the life cycle.

In 2019, UltraTech commissioned the world’s first zero discharge ready mix concrete (RMC) plant

Green products

The thrust on sustainability has been key to developing environment friendly processes and products. The company has ambitious plans to increase share of blended cement as well increasing share of alternate fuels and raw material, waste heat recovery systems, and renewable energy. UltraTech is continuously endeavouring to make its products more environment friendly --  73 products have already received GreenPro Certification.

Circular Economy

UltraTech has also adopted the movement towards a circular economy. The focus is on using fewer natural resources across its value chain. The company follows a dual approach for efficient waste management. First, generation of less waste by using raw materials judiciously so that the waste can be managed easily. Second, substitution of fossil fuels and raw materials with waste material generated from own units as well as other industries which helps to reduce the carbon footprint.

Waste Management

The company has successfully substituted a part of clinker in cement manufacturing with fly ash, GGBS and other cementitious material to increase the use of industrial waste. In 2019-20 alone, the company utilised more than 15 million tonnes of industrial waste material as an alternative raw material for cement production.

UltraTech has tied up with 35 municipal corporations across India to help them in destroying incinerable non-biodegradable waste in a safe and sustainable manner through co-processing.

Zero discharge plant

UltraTech has extended the adoption of circularity philosophy into its upstream concrete business. In 2019, the company commissioned the world’s first zero discharge ready mix concrete (RMC) plant. This innovation has significant benefits of reducing the impact on environment as well as conservation of resources.

All of these initiatives will aid the company to bolster its credentials as a sustainable construction material provider.