Five years ago we posted about Holcim and human rights. Since then Holcim has merged with Lafarge. LafargeHolcim is the world's largest cement producer. It is the parent company of Aggregate Industries, and the ultimate beneficiary of any quarrying at Straitgate Farm. Its operations impact lives - both outside the company and within it.
It is widely accepted that the cement industry is one of the world's most polluting - producing 5-8% of global greenhouse gas emissions; it is widely accepted that:
climate change is one of the greatest threats to human rights of our generation, posing a serious risk to the fundamental rights to life, health, food and an adequate standard of living of individuals and communities across the world.
If it were a country, LafargeHolcim would rank 42nd in terms of CO2 emissions; ahead of the Czech Republic and Belgium; nearly 3 times the emissions of Switzerland - the country where it is based. According to Mark Kenber, former CEO of Climate Group:
Climate change itself is a major attack on human rights because it affects the poorest, most vulnerable people who haven’t caused the problem. It deprives people of the basic right to shelter, security, food, water, and so on.
But the pollution from cement manufacture, and LafargeHolcim’s record on CO2 emissions, is well known. Less well known is the number of people who lose their life whilst working for the company.
LafargeHolcim makes a lot of claims about Health and Safety; how "Health & Safety is embedded in LafargeHolcim’s operations"; how "At LafargeHolcim, we believe that "if we’re good in safety, then we’re good in business""; how "Health & Safety is our overarching value":
Health & Safety is our overarching value. Important read about how to better protect #construction industry workers: https://t.co/ftwEmz1zVN pic.twitter.com/diIybXmwOG— LafargeHolcim (@LafargeHolcim) April 13, 2017
But what is LafargeHolcim’s record on Health and Safety?
LafargeHolcim’s involvement in Syria has been the subject of a number of posts. Executives stand accused of financing terrorism and sacrificing the safety of workers. A number have been charged, including the company’s previous CEO. Another executive was charged recently with 'endangering lives'.
Former HR manager at cement giant #Lafarge charged in France for "endangering the lives of others" during operations in war-torn Syria https://t.co/KobRWYr9Xy @AFP— AFP Beirut (@AFP_Beirut) April 14, 2018
L'affaire @LafargeHolcim en Syrie souligne le manque d'intégrité au sein de certaines entreprises. La logique #MoneyFirst #EthicsSecond n'est pas un modèle viable pour aucune entreprise. Transparence et intégrité doivent être au coeur des stratégies d'entreprises. #Lafarge 🏗️💵 pic.twitter.com/cAtFhddb74— Transparency Belgium (@TransparencyBE) April 16, 2018
But it’s not just in Syria where lives have been endangered and lost. A staggering 201 people have lost their lives whilst working for LafargeHolcim over the past 3 years - 50 in 2015, 86 in 2016 and 65 in 2017- including direct employees, contractors and subcontractors.
Unions claim LafargeHolcim has "the worst health and safety performance in the industry". They had demanded action and a Global Framework Agreement. However, earlier this year:
We are outraged that LafargeHolcim has broken its word and refuses to meet its commitment to sign a GFA. A GFA would help to build positive industrial relations throughout the company and address some of the company’s most serious problems, including an excessive reliance on precarious work and the high number of workers killed at your operations every year.
If an airline had lost 201 lives in a plane crash it would be all over the news. Why isn’t this?
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| IndustriALL Global Union |
