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Cementing a Sustainably Progressive Strategy

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Dr Arvind Bodhankar, Executive Director, ESG & CRO, Dalmia Bharat, discusses methods to tackle energy efficiency problems with an improved ESG strategy, new technologies and latest innovations.

Driving the circular economy as a leading cement manufacturer in the country involves being committed towards environmental sustainability. By ensuring a low-carbon transition, it is possible to envision a future that is not just green and livable for people today but for generations to come. We need to keep in mind that cement is the second largest material consumed on our planet after water and producing it means utilising a lot of natural resources. Therefore, as responsible cement manufacturers, we need to tackle these problems by embedding our ESG strategy within our corporate framework and collaboratively working with new technologies, the latest innovations and, more importantly, partnering with policy-related enablers.

Impact of Governmental Infrastructure Spending
The Government of India’s spend on infrastructure is already providing a necessary stimulus to the cement industry. A key example would be the government’s Gatishakti project with a commitment to 1.4 crores housing under the affordable housing scheme for which a spend Rs 1.47 lakh crore is expected on infrastructure. This will require a significant amount of cement, which will result in the Indian cement sector as well the nation reaching new heights. But before we get to that level, it is important to address the challenges being faced by the cement industry in India.

Reducing Climate Risk Through Collaborative Efforts
The cement industry affects climate change as it contributes seven to eight per cent to the global carbon pool. To curtail this, stakeholders that include members of the United Nations Principal of Responsible Investment and such have begun to reach out to cement industry players across the globe to come up with solutions to cut down on CO2 emissions to see investments flow in.

While some corporations are just beginning to look for solutions others such as us, Dalmia Bharat are leading the pack with commitments that encourage the circular economy. Global visionaries, such as our honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have also stated that India will become a carbonneutral country by 2070 and is committed to 520 GW of renewable energy by 2030. This has helped ease new policies as far as renewable energy is concerned and enabled sector leaders such as us to stay the course to meet our goal of becoming carbon negative by 2040.

While some may see this a stretched target, the right technology implementation has already helped us achieve nearly 43 per cent reduction in carbon footprints from the 1990 baseline enabling us to surpass the target we set for ourselves for 2025. And by collaborating with government and nongovernmental organisations on policy and public advocacy we can keep track of climate change emerging risks, work closely with leadership as well as the operations team to develop the mitigation plan and track its implementation. By 2030, we are confident that we will be able to get rid of conventional energy, that is, energy from power plants.

Integrating Organisational Goals with a Progressive ESG Strategy
The leadership of a cement organisation must be committed to ESG. A key example for this would be the 2040 target that we at Dalmia Bharat have set. Especially in a sector where 55 per cent to 60 per cent are processes-related emissions, yet we have been able to achieve the interim targets of our roadmap. This shows the commitment at a corporate, environment and social level. We believe clean and green is profitable and sustainable, and we see this becoming a possibility only when it is firmly entrenched within our strategy. Everything that we set out to do, we look at it from the lens of sustainability and ESG. So, whether it is ours or any other company, there are some inherent risks such as raw material security, climate change, environment, and health and safety. But when you have a robust environment framework, one can control the risk and bring it to an acceptable level. Organisations must have a focus on alternate fuel, which leads to raw material security.

Due to our strategic focus on ESG, we have made the commitment not only to become carbon negative by 2040 but also like ‘RE100’, EP 100, EV 100, FMC and LEADIT to act as catalyst for change in the Heavy-industry sector. All these initiatives have positively impacted the trust from stakeholders and improved our ESG scores so that we can help build a nation that encourages a circular economy and sustains for aeons to come

Concrete

India Sets Up First Carbon Capture Testbeds for Cement Industry

Five CCU testbeds launched to decarbonise cement production

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The Department of Science and Technology (DST) recently unveiled a pioneering national initiative: five Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) testbeds in the cement sector, forming a first-of-its-kind research and innovation cluster to combat industrial carbon emissions.
This is a significant step towards India’s Climate Action for fostering National Determined Contributions (NDCs) targets and to achieve net zero decarbonisation pathways for Industry Transition., towards the Government’s goal to achieve a carbon-neutral economy by 2070.
Carbon Capture Utilisation (CCU) holds significant importance in hard-to-abate sectors like Cement, Steel, Power, Oil &Natural Gas, Chemicals & Fertilizers in reducing emissions by capturing carbon dioxide from industrial processes and converting it to value add products such as synthetic fuels, Urea, Soda, Ash, chemicals, food grade CO2 or concrete aggregates. CCU provides a feasible pathway for these tough to decarbonise industries to lower their carbon footprint and move towards achieving Net Zero Goals while continuing their operations efficiently. DST has taken major strides in fostering R&D in the CCUS domain.
Concrete is vital for India’s economy and the Cement industry being one of the main hard-to-abate sectors, is committed to align with the national decarbonisation commitments. New technologies to decarbonise emission intensity of the cement sector would play a key role in achieving of national net zero targets.
Recognizing the critical need for decarbonising the Cement sector, the Energy and Sustainable Technology (CEST) Division of Department launched a unique call for mobilising Academia-Industry Consortia proposals for deployment of Carbon Capture Utilisation (CCU) in Cement Sector. This Special call envisaged to develop and deploy innovative CCU Test bed in Cement Sector with thrust on Developing CO2 capture + CO2 Utilisation integrated unit in an Industrial set up through an innovative Public Private Partnership (PPP) funding model.
As a unique initiative and one of its first kind in India, DST has approved setting up of five CCU testbeds for translational R&D, to be set up in Academia-Industry collaboration under this significant initiative of DST in PPP mode, engaging with premier research laboratories as knowledge partners and top Cement companies as the industry partner.
On the occasion of National Technology Day celebrations, on May 11, 2025 the 5 CCU Cement Test beds were announced and grants had been handed over to the Test bed teams by the Chief Guest, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology; Earth Sciences and Minister of State for PMO, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr Jitendra Singh in the presence of Secretary DST Prof. Abhay Karandikar.
The five testbeds are not just academic experiments — they are collaborative industrial pilot projects bringing together India’s top research institutions and leading cement manufacturers under a unique Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. Each testbed addresses a different facet of CCU, from cutting-edge catalysis to vacuum-based gas separation.
The outcomes of this innovative initiative will not only showcase the pathways of decarbonisation towards Net zero goals through CCU route in cement sector, but should also be a critical confidence building measure for potential stakeholders to uptake the deployed CCU technology for further scale up and commercialisation.
It is envisioned that through continuous research and innovation under these test beds in developing innovative catalysts, materials, electrolyser technology, reactors, and electronics, the cost of Green Cement via the deployed CCU technology in Cement Sector may considerably be made more sustainable.
Secretary DBT Dr Rajesh Gokhale, Dr Ajai Choudhary, Co-Founder HCL, Dr. Rajesh Pathak, Secretary, TDB, Dr Anita Gupta Head CEST, DST and Dr Neelima Alam, Associate Head, DST were also present at the programme organized at Dr Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi.

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Concrete

JK Lakshmi Adopts EVs to Cut Emissions in Logistics

Electric vehicles deployed between JK Puram and Kalol units

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JK Lakshmi Cement, a key player in the Indian cement industry, has announced the deployment of electric vehicles (EVs) in its logistics operations. This move, made in partnership with SwitchLabs Automobiles, will see EVs transporting goods between the JK Puram Plant in Sirohi, Rajasthan, and the Kalol Grinding Unit in Gujarat.
The announcement follows a successful pilot project that showcased measurable reductions in carbon emissions while maintaining efficiency. Building on this, the company is scaling up EV integration to enhance sustainability across its supply chain.
“Sustainability is integral to our vision at JK Lakshmi Cement. Our collaboration with SwitchLabs Automobiles reflects our continued focus on driving innovation in our logistics operations while taking responsibility for our environmental footprint. This initiative positions us as a leader in transforming the cement sector’s logistics landscape,” said Arun Shukla, President & Director, JK Lakshmi Cement.
This deployment marks a significant step in aligning with India’s push for greener transport infrastructure. By embracing clean mobility, JK Lakshmi Cement is setting an example for the industry, demonstrating that environmental responsibility can go hand in hand with operational efficiency.
The company continues to embed sustainability into its operations as part of a broader goal to reduce its carbon footprint. This initiative adds to its vision of building a more sustainable and eco-friendly future.
JK Lakshmi Cement, part of the 135-year-old JK Organisation, began operations in 1982 and has grown to become a recognised name in Indian cement. With a presence across Northern, Western, and Eastern India, the company has a cement capacity of 16.5 MTPA, with a target to reach 30 MT by 2030. Its product range includes ready-mix concrete, gypsum plaster, wall putty, and autoclaved aerated fly ash blocks.

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Concrete

Holcim UK drives sustainable construction

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Holcim UK has released a report titled ‘Making Sustainable Construction a Reality,’ outlining its five-fold commitment to a greener future. The company aims to focus on decarbonisation, circular economy principles, smarter building methods, community engagement, and integrating nature. Based on a survey of 2,000 people, only 41 per cent felt urban spaces in the UK are sustainably built. A significant majority (82 per cent) advocated for more green spaces, 69 per cent called for government leadership in sustainability, and 54 per cent saw businesses as key players. Additionally, 80 per cent of respondents stressed the need for greater transparency from companies regarding their environmental practices.

Image source:holcim

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