HeidelbergCement
What do our scores mean?
The organizational score represents the degree to which the organization influencing climate policy and legislation. Corporations also have relationship scores reflecting their links with influencers like trade associations. Both are combined to place the corporation in a performance band. Full details can be found here.
Engagement Intensity
The engagement intensity (EI) is a metric of the extent to which the company is engaging on climate change policy matters, whether positively or negatively. It is a number from 0 (no engagement at all) to 100 (full engagement on all queries/data points). Clearly energy companies are more affected by climate regulations and will have a higher EI than, for example retailers. So an organization’s score should be looked at in conjunction with this metric to gauge the amount of evidence we are using in each case as a basis for scoring. On our scale, an EI of more than 35 indicates a relatively large amount of climate policy engagement.
Relationship Score, December 2020
A new batch of industry associations has been uploaded onto the InfluenceMap system and the relationship scores recalculated accordingly.
Updated terminology, February 2021
We adjusted the terminology used to describe the queries running down the left-hand side of our scoring matrix and added additional explanatory text to the info-boxes. This has no impact on the scores and methodology. It has been done following user feedback to improve clarity.
- Details of Organization Score
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What do the 0,1,2 and NSs, NAs mean?
Each cell in the organization's matrix presents a chance for us to assess each data source against our column of climate change policy queries. We score from -2 to 2, with negative scores representing evidence of obstructive influence. "NA" means "not applicable" and "NS" means "not scored" - that is we did not find any evidence either way. In both cases, the cell's weighting is re-distributed over others. Red and blue cells represent highly interesting negative or positive influence respectively. Full details can be found here.
- Details of Relationship Score
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What is the Relationship Score
A corporation, as well as its organizational score will have a relationship score. It is computed by aggregating the organizational scores of the Influencers (trade bodies etc.) it has relationships with, weighted by both the strength of these relationships and the relative importance of the Influencers towards climate change policy. Full details can be found here.
QUERIES
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DATA SOURCES | |||||||
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Main Web Site
The main organizational Web site of the company and its direct links to major affiliates and attached documents. |
Social Media
We search other media and sites funded or controlled by the organization, such as social media (Twitter, Facebook) and direct advertising campaigns of the organization. |
CDP Responses
We assess and score responses to two questions from CDP's climate change information request (12.3 a & 12.3c) related to political influence questions (currently these are not numerically scored by the CDP process). |
Legislative Consultations
Comments from the entity being scored on governmental regulatory consultation processes, including those obtained by InfluenceMap through Freedom of Information requests. |
Media Reports
Here we search in a consistent manner (the organization name and relevant query search terms) a set of web sites of representing reputable news or data aggregations. Supported by targeted searches of proprietary databases. |
CEO Messaging
Here we search in a consistent manner (the CEO/Chairman, organization name and relevant query search terms) a set of web sites of representing reputable news or data aggregations. Supported by targeted searches of proprietary databases. |
Financial Disclosures
We search 10-K and 20-F SEC filings where available, and non US equivalents where not. . |
EU Register
Information provided by to the voluntary EU Transparency Register. |
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Communication of Climate Science
Is the organization transparent and clear about its position on climate change science? |
-1
|
NS | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS | NA |
Alignment with IPCC on Climate Action
Is the organization supporting the science-based response to climate change as set out by the IPCC? (the IPCC) |
0
|
NS | NA | NS |
0
|
1
|
NS | NA |
Supporting the Need for Regulations
To what extent does the organization express the need for regulatory intervention to resolve the climate crisis? |
1
|
NS | NS |
0
|
0
|
1
|
NS | NA |
Support of UN Climate Process
Is the organization supporting the UN FCCC process on climate change? |
1
|
1
|
NS | NS |
1
|
0
|
NS | NA |
Transparency on Legislation
Is the organisation transparent about its positions on climate change legislation/policy and its activities to influence it? |
-1
|
NA |
0
|
NA | NA | NA | NS | NA |
Carbon Tax
Is the organisation supporting policy and legislative measures to address climate change: carbon tax. |
NS | NS | NS |
-2
|
1
|
1
|
NS | NA |
Emissions Trading
Is the organisation supporting policy and legislative measures to address climate change: emissions trading. |
0
|
-1
|
-1
|
-1
|
0
|
-1
|
-1
|
NA |
Energy and Resource Efficiency
Is the organization supporting policy and legislative measures to address climate change: energy efficiency policy, standards, and targets |
0
|
NS |
1
|
-2
|
NS | NS | NS | NA |
Renewable Energy
Is the organization supporting policy and legislative measures to address climate change: Renewable energy legislation, targets, subsidies, and other policy |
0
|
NS |
-1
|
-1
|
NS | NS | NS | NA |
Energy Transition & Zero Carbon Technologies
Is the organization supporting an IPCC-aligned transition of the economy away from carbon-emitting technologies, including supporting relevant policy and legislative measures to enable this transition? |
-2
|
1
|
NS | NS |
1
|
NS | NS | NA |
GHG Emission Regulation
Is the organization supporting policy and legislative measures to address climate change: GHG emission standards and targets. Is the organization supporting policy and legislative measures to address climate change: Standards, targets, and other regulatory measures directly targeting Greenhouse Gas emissions |
1
|
NS | NS |
-2
|
NS |
0
|
NS | NA |
Disclosure on Relationships
Is the organization transparent about its involvement with industry associations that are influencing climate policy, including the extent to which it is aligned with these groups on climate? |
0
|
NS |
0
|
NA | NA | NA | NS | NA |

InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
A Senior Executive of HeidelbergCement is a President of VDZ. Other senior executives are on the board of directors [Scorer's note: multiple representatives on the board results in higher score]
Christian Knell, Dr. Bernhard Kleinsorge, Ottmar Walter

InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
HeidelbergCement is a full member of VDZ

InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
A Senior Executive of HeidelbergCement is a Vice-President of VDZ
Knell, Christian

InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
A Senior Executive of HeidelbergCement is a President of VDZ. Other senior executives are on the board of directors [Scorer's note: multiple representatives on the board results in higher score]
Christian Knell, Dr. Bernhard Kleinsorge, Ottmar Walter

InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
HeidelbergCement is a full member of VDZ

InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
A Senior Executive of HeidelbergCement is a Vice-President of VDZ
Knell, Christian

InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
CEO and senior executives of Lehigh Hanson, a HeidelbergCement subsidiary, are on the board of the Portland Cement Association [Scorer's note: multiple representatives on the board results in higher score]
Alexander Car, David Perkins and Chris Ward

InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
President and CEO a subsidiary of HeidelbergCement, Lehigh Hanson, is on the board of directors of PCA
Jonathan Morrish

InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
CEO and senior executives of Lehigh Hanson, a HeidelbergCement subsidiary, are on the board of the Portland Cement Association [Scorer's note: multiple representatives on the board results in higher score]
Alexander Car, David Perkins and Chris Ward

InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
President and CEO a subsidiary of HeidelbergCement, Lehigh Hanson, is on the board of directors of PCA
Jonathan Morrish

InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
InfluenceMap Comment:
HeidelbergCement is a member of CEMBUREAU

InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
InfluenceMap Comment:
A senior executive of HeidelbergCement is on the senior advisory council of Cembureau
R. van der Meer

InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
InfluenceMap Comment:
Change over of Presidency

InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
InfluenceMap Comment:
A senior excutive of HeidelbergCement is president of Cembureau (2015-2017)
Daniel Gauthier

InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
InfluenceMap Comment:
HeidelbergCement is a member of CEMBUREAU

InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
InfluenceMap Comment:
A senior executive of HeidelbergCement is on the senior advisory council of Cembureau
R. van der Meer

InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
InfluenceMap Comment:
Change over of Presidency

InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
InfluenceMap Comment:
A senior excutive of HeidelbergCement is president of Cembureau (2015-2017)
Daniel Gauthier
How to Read our Relationship Score Map
In this section, we depict graphically the relationships the corporation has with trade associations, federations, advocacy groups and other third parties who may be acting on their behalf to influence climate change policy. Each of the columns above represents one relationship the corporation appears to have with such a third party. In these columns, the top, dark section represents the strength of the relationship the corporation has with the influencer. For example if a corporation's senior executive also held a key role in the trade association, we would deem this to be a strong relationship and it would be on the far left of the chart above, with the weaker ones to the right. Click on these grey shaded upper sections for details of these relationships. The middle section contains a link to the organization score details of the influencer concerned, so you can see the details of its climate change policy influence. Click on the middle sections for for details of the trade associations. The lower section contains the organization score of that influencer, the lower the more negatively it is influencing climate policy.
Climate Lobbying Overview: HeidelbergCement has communicated more positive top-line positions on climate policy in recent years, but appears to remain negatively positioned on certain policy streams in Europe, emphasising concerns around costs and carbon leakage. The company appears to have become less outwardly oppositional since 2015, with public engagement on these policy streams broadly reduced. However, company retains memberships to various industry associations engaging negatively on carbon change regulations.
Top-line Messaging on Climate Policy: HeidelbergCement's communications have appeared supportive of policy efforts to reduce emissions in 2020, although generally without referencing a clearly defined timeframe. In 2020, a senior executive advocated for a regulatory framework to manage the carbon transition and the company has also advocated to the German government to link COVID-19 recovery measures, such as state aid, to climate action. The company does not appear to have taken a public position on the European Green Deal, nor the EU 2030 Climate Target.
Engagement with Climate-Related Regulations: Several senior executives, and the CEO of HeidelbergCement, have in 2020 voiced support for a carbon border adjustment mechanism in Europe in order to protect the company from carbon leakage, a member of the management board stating it is an “urgent priority.” However, they did not take a clear position on the removal of existing free allowances in the EU ETS. In Heidelberg Cement's 2020 CDP disclosure, the company appeared to support the continuation of free allocation of allowances in emissions trading systems to protect against carbon leakage. In the same disclosure, the company stated support for EU energy efficiency targets but seemed to advocate for compensation and/or exemptions for heavy industry from costs resulting from renewable energy legislation.
Positioning on Energy Transition: HeidelbergCement appears to broadly support the transition to a low carbon economy but there is limited evidence of engagement on the energy transition in recent years. A subsidiary of the company, Norcrem, seemed to have communicate a support for high GHG emissions energy sources in the future energy mix in 2020.
Industry Association Governance: HeidelbergCement discloses a list of industry associations of which it is a member on its corporate website, but seems to have omitted several influential relationships from the list such as the Portland Cement Association, the Mouvement des Entreprises De France and the Association of German Cement Manufacturers (VDZ). In its disclosure, the company does not describe the climate policy positions of the associations, nor the alignment of these positions with the company. The organization has not published a review of its alignment with the industry associations of which it is a member.