Since February 2021, the Xella Group has been part of the UN Global Compact (UNGC), the world's largest and most important initiative for sustainable and responsible corporate governance. We are committed to the ten sustainable principles in the areas of human rights, labor standards, the environment, and corruption prevention. “We support the principles of the UN Global Compact as well as the sustainable development goals of the United Nations through our sustainability strategy and our ambitious targets. We want to make an impact: Both through energy-efficient, sustainable products as well as through resource-saving and CO2-reduced production processes and responsible and ethically sound actions,” Christophe Clemente, CEO of the Xella Group, explains.
Focus on greater energy efficiency
Our commitment to greater sustainability with a particular focus on the energy efficiency of buildings and processes in production is also reflected in our membership of the independent and cross-industry network of the Deutsche Unternehmensinitiative Energieeffizienz e. V. (DENEEF). The initiative advocates effective energy (efficiency) policies in Europe and Germany and drives innovation at the interface between the market and politics.
At the European level, Xella is involved in European initiatives such as the European Autoclaved Aerated Concrete Association (EAACA) and the European Calcium Silicate Unit Producers Association (ECSPA). ECSPA offers its members a platform for exchanging information on new standards and technological innovations in the production of sand-lime bricks.
“The exchange of knowledge and networking between science, politics and business brings us new perspectives,” Torsten Schoch, Managing Director of Xella T&F explains.
European initiative for sustainability in renovation
Just recently, a partnership has been added: URSA, our wholly owned subsidiary focused on insulation solutions, has joined the European Smart-Rehabilitation Project 3.0. The goal of the 30-month project, co-funded by the Erasmus+ European program, is to promote the training of professionals in the field of "building rehabilitation."
“The renovation of millions of buildings across Europe in the coming decades is a challenge that concerns us all. As part of the industry, we want to be very present in this trend, which will contribute to the recovery of our economy, improve the quality of life in our homes and work on the challenges of climate change,” highlights Ramón Ros, CEO of URSA Ibérica, the importance of the initiative for the sustainability strategy.
More sustainability in the construction industry from Germany
Particularly with regard to Germany, where Xella's research center is located with T&F, Xella is also involved, for example, in the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB), which has been committed to a sustainable built environment since its founding, or in the German Building Materials – Stone and Earth Association (Bundesverband Baustoffe – Steine und Erden e.V. (bbs), which is the umbrella organization of the entire building materials, stone and earths industry for 16 individual sectors and around 6,000 companies. Mention should also be made of the Verband Bauen in Weiß e.V. (VBiW), which is involved in technology and research and cooperates with universities or research institutes.The company's involvement in the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Mauerwerks- und Wohnungsbau e.V. (DGfM) as well as the Deutschen Ausschuss für Mauerwerk e.V.,founded in 2018. (DAfM) is of great importance to Xella.
“How does the circular economy succeed, what are the requirements for sustainable recycling management – and how can scientific research projects bring progress here. We expect a lot from the high level of networking between industry, scientists and universities,” Torsten Schoch says.
