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The company has made progress toward its 2030 decarbonization goals by implementing projects that are part of its sustainability strategy.
Votorantim Cimentos, a building materials and sustainable solutions company, ended 2024 with global emissions of 550 kg of CO2 per tonne of cementitious materials produced, a reduction of 27.9% compared to 1990, the baseline year used by the cement industry. Compared to 2023, when its emissions were 556 kg of CO2 per tonne of cementitious material, the company reduced its CO2 emissions per tonne of product manufactured by 1% in 2024. Votorantim Cimentos’ 2030 decarbonization target, approved by the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi), is 475 kg of CO2 per tonne of cementitious product.
Votorantim Cimentos’ decarbonization strategy is based on four main pillars: co-processing (replacement of fossil fuels in cement production kilns with other materials, especially biomass and waste), the use of cementitious materials (substitution of clinker—the main component of cement and the main source of CO2 emissions in the cement production process—with by- products from other industries), energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources, (company-owned hydroelectric power plants and investments in solar and wind energy), and the development of technologies (use of innovative processes and new materials, carbon capture and efficiency gains in the cement and concrete value chain to optimize resources and further reduce carbon intensity).
“Cement and concrete are essential products for the development of society in areas such as housing and living, basic sanitation and others. We recognize our role as part of the solution to decarbonization. Globally, we have made progress in pilot projects for CO2 capture, installed new co-processing and renewable energy sites and systems, and launched low-carbon products. All these efforts will contribute toward our decarbonization journey and help us achieve our goal of producing carbon-neutral concrete by 2050,” said Álvaro Lorenz, global director of Sustainability, Institutional Relations, Product Development, Engineering and Energy at Votorantim Cimentos.
In 2024, Votorantim Cimentos’ global thermal substitution rate—which measures the percentage of biomass and waste used as fuel in cement kilns—through co-processing was 32.1%. This rate represents an improvement compared to 2023, when the company achieved a thermal substitution rate of 30.9%. Our 2030 target rate is 53%.
The clinker factor (which measures the amount of clinker in cement) was 72.5% last year, a drop compared to 72.8% in 2023. Votorantim Cimentos’ 2030 goal is to reach a clinker factor of 68% by increasing the use of alternative raw materials, in line with the concept of the circular economy.
In 2024, 34.1% of the electricity consumed by Votorantim Cimentos came from renewable sources, compared to 34.1% in 2023, excluding the operations in Morocco and Tunisia, which were sold by the company last year— the divestment in Morocco is awaiting the fulfillment of usual conditions precedent for this type of transaction to be concluded. The company’s goal is to have 45% of the energy consumed globally come from renewable sources by 2030.
Progress in Decarbonization
“A” score by CDP for the second consecutive year – In February 2025, for the second consecutive year, Votorantim Cimentos received an “A” score for Climate in an assessment conducted by CDP, one of the most respected global non-profit organizations that manages the world’s only independent environmental disclosure system for companies, capital markets, cities, states and regions to manage their environmental impacts. This score placed Votorantim Cimentos among a select group of companies ranked at the top of the list and among the world’s best cement companies, exemplifying best practices in strategic environmental management in the market. It also recognizes its leadership in transparency and performance related to climate change.
Product line with lower CO2 emissions in Spain – In October 2024, Votorantim Cimentos launched Blenture, a new cement and concrete brand for the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal), designed to reduce CO2 emissions and support more sustainable construction. Blenture is the result of significant investments in research and development. The brand aligns with the company’s sustainability commitments and decarbonization strategy, which are based on process efficiency, the use of recycled raw materials and the consumption of non-fossil fuels to drive the circular economy and increase the use of renewable energy. Blenture cements and concretes offer competitive solutions to many applications, with the same quality, strength and performance, combined with a 30% reduction in carbon footprint.
CO2 capture projects – Internationally, Votorantim Cimentos is making progress in CO2 capture projects in Canada and Spain. The Alconera plant, in Spain, has started a carbon capture pilot project using the potassium carbonate (HPC) technology. This initiative is one of the industry’s first carbon capture experiments in Spain and seeks to expand knowledge about this technology, representing an important step in the decarbonization journey. Another initiative in this area is underway in North America, where Votorantim Cimentos is working on a pilot project using membrane-based carbon capture technology at the Charlevoix site in Canada.
Investments in co-processing in Brazil – In 2024, Votorantim Cimentos announced an investment of R$5 billion in a comprehensive program for the structural growth and competitiveness of the company’s operations in Brazil through 2028. This program, of which R$1.9
billion is already being invested, includes company sites in all regions of the country, with structural investments to increase competitiveness and co-processing capacity and significantly reduce CO2 emissions.
As part of this investment, in Xambioá (in Tocantins state, Brazil), a project to modernize the kiln and waste injection system increased the site’s co-processing rate to 54.5%, exceeding expectations for the first year of the new system being in operation.
Additionally, in 2024, Votorantim Cimentos completed the first phase of a modernization project in the Salto de Pirapora plant (in São Paulo state, Brazil), leading to an increase in the clinker production marginal capacity in the path to accelerating thermal substitution and reducing CO2 emissions.
Last year, Votorantim Cimentos also opened a waste processing site in Itaperuçu (in Paraná state, Brazil), dedicated exclusively to the operations of Verdera, a business unit specialized in sustainable waste management and disposal. The facility has the capacity to crush 48,000 tonnes of waste per year, tripling the proper and sustainable waste management and disposal capacity in the state of Paraná, Brazil. This site enables Votorantim Cimentos to move vertically, producing alternative fuel that will be used in its cement plants.
For more information on Votorantim Cimentos’ decarbonization journey, please visit the 2024 Integrated Report: https://www.votorantimcimentos.com/integrated-report/