News items

22 April is a dedicated day for global focus on protecting our environment and planet. If we don’t pay attention, climate change will have serious implications on our economy and quality of life.

PDN holds a solid eighth position in the ranking of most sustainable and responsible investors among the 49 largest pension funds. When making investment decisions, yield and risk are not the only criteria we take into account – the sustainability performance is also a key factor.

Ambitious journey

Most people are aware that cement production is not good for the environment due to its high carbon emissions. Making cement clinker (a semi-finished product for cement production) requires burning limestone at very high temperatures, up to 1,400 degrees Celsius. This releases a huge amount of CO2.

However, the cement industry is indispensable for building homes, buildings and infrastructure. Fortunately, specialists are figuring out how to make cement production greener.

PDN actively contributes to making this industry more sustainable. For example by investing in the company Heidelberg Materials AG. This company's goal is to reduce net CO2 emissions by 47% by 2030 relative to 1990 levels. An ambitious goal. 

So how do they do that?

• By capturing, storing and reusing even more CO2.
• By using more sustainably produced energy.
• By researching other cement-like materials with much lower CO2 emissions.
• By investing in better plants and reducing CO2 in all areas.

Do you want to learn more about PDN and sustainable investing?

PDN will soon publish the comprehensive 2023 Sustainability Report. This presents our more rigorous sustainability policy, the actions implemented and the goals achieved.

More information is available from the PDN website in the tile 'Sustainable and responsible investing'.