Quality

Our Goal: A contribution for a better environment

We at Lafarge are convinced that our group will only be successful on the long run when we consider and respect the joint interests of current and future generations in our activities. This not only means that we must comply with rules and regulations but also conduct business in such a way that it is in accordance with the principles of sustainability. At the same time, we must take into account the views and opinions of local and worldwide acting interest groups.

We are confident that readiness to engage in dialogue as well as the integration of our interest groups are vital factors for success for a long-term added value.

Thanks to the cooperation and worldwide partnership with WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) our environment policy has received a new important status.

The partnership implicates much more than mere sponsoring. Although we naturally provide financial support fort he WWF "Reafforestation" project, we also help in any other projects for the protection and improvement of the environment. With the aid of the WWF organisation our goal was to get involved in improving the environment within a short time. This partnership is a representative example for the open way the Lafarge group applies when cooperating with its partners outside the enterprise. It is not only the credible promises for future improvements but also our long-term progress in this field and our genuine intentions have been good reasons for WWF for choosing Lafarge as a partner. We are convinced that our policy for the protection of the environment and nature provides a competitive advantage for our company. Environmental policy is one of our most important strategic projects.

Environmental policy
Cooperatively we aim to develop Lafarge Gips to be a company of highest environmental awareness in the field of construction materials!

„Environmental protection encompasses the careful treatment of raw materials, environmentally friendly operation of production facilities and measures for safe transportation, storage, application and disposal of our products. For all of us the commitment to constantly assess our environmental behaviour in a critical manner and improve our actions accrues from these factors. And I expect that every employee orientate themselves by these goals and comply with them."

Arnaud de Bérail
Chairman of the Executive Board
Lafarge Gips

We at Lafarge are convinced that our group will only be successful on the long run when we consider and respect the joint interests of current and future generations in our activities.

We are committed to environmental protection, to people's health and well-being, to reduction and deceleration of climate change and to maintenance of nature.

The direction and concept of our environmental policy have been determined by the Lafarge Group for the entire enterprise and forms the basis for the environmental management systems of our individual companies.

Risks for the environment, for health and safety

Our eco-political goals are:

• Prevent and/or minimise the generation of waste
• Separate disposal of waste paper, maintain and optimise the Green Dot system and other recyclable material concepts
• Targeted and controlled application of resources and reduction of emissions.
• Minimise risks for the environment as well as health and safety risks for employees, visitors and ambient areas in all locations of Lafarge.

Communication and training

For reaching these goals we will

• Communicate and convey our ideas about and policy for environmental protection to all employees of Lafarge Gips
• Foster and support environmental consciousness in all employees by means of special trainings
• inform al persons that are working on behalf of Lafarge Gips about our environmental policy.

Organisation

Organisational prerequisites for the implementation of our environmental policy are

• To create an equilibrium between environmental protection and economically oriented growth at Lafarge Gips
• Active cooperation with the competent authorities and all interested parties and organisations
• Analysis of environmental risks for the prevention of dangers on a regular basis
• Selection and tendering process for subcontractors and suppliers on the basis of our environmental policy

Our Goal: Satisfied and delighted customers

Lafarge made it their business to constantly provide new solutions for the building industry that make our day-to-day life safer, more comfortable and nicer.

The company's visions and principles are determined and maintained by the management team of Lafarge Gips GmbH. As a joining link between the company and the various interest groups they manifest our self-conception and describe the management philosophy. The success of our group of companies is based on the combination of long-term goals, professional business conduct, confidence in constant progress, respect for people, ambitious standards and a great degree of confidence and positive thinking.

Quality policy
Cooperatively we aim to develop Lafarge Gips to be a company of highest degree of quality awareness in the field of construction materials!

„At Lafarge Gips quality is the prerequisite for highest customer satisfaction. This is obtained by excellent products, competent customer-specific consulting and information, tailor-made and reliably execution of orders as well as friendly and service-oriented behaviour. All our employees understand, take into consideration and comply with our commitment for quality."

Arnaud de Bérail
Chairman of the Executive Board
Lafarge Gips

The high quality of our products, our timely and reliable deliveries as well as comprehensive services are the basis for a high degree of customer satisfaction. They are also the basis for our success and the competitiveness of our company. In addition to the dedication and commitment of our employees, a strong and economically oriented quality management system is a prerequisite.

Management and leadership

Compliance with the quality norms and standards and the obligation of our employee for continuous improvement of the quality systems are elementary goals of Lafarge Gips. In view of this, the basic principles framed by the management are an integral part of the company principles that are supplemented by the determination and evaluation of quality targets.

Fostering a specific quality consciousness on all levels is one of our permanent managerial tasks. In this sense the executive board of Lafarge Gips oblige themselves to motivate all employees in accordance with the QM system, to monitor their activities and to assess the results on a regular basis.

Customer orientation

For all employees our customers are the centre of interest. While being customers, they are also contractees and principals and users of our products and therefore they have a right for comprehensive servicing. It is the obligation of all employees to comprehend the customers' specific needs and requirements in order to fulfil them within the scope or our technical and personal possibilities. Only if customers feel understood they will be loyal towards our company. In order to guarantee that our suppliers and contracting partners comply with similarly high quality standards as we do, we assess and verify their performance in regular intervals.

Continuous improvement

Lafarge Gips strives for both optimisation of the in-house organisational structures and processes and for trouble-free connection and cooperation with external partners, such as logistics companies and producers. The goal of our quality policy is to comply with the requirements of our customers to their fullest satisfaction, to offer innovative products and prevent mistakes.

In the event that improper processes occur, all possibilities will be checked for finding and developing solutions to restore customer satisfaction. Mistakes or defects will be documented and inspected for their causes in order to guarantee prevention without failure in future. The measures for the correction of defects are systematically supported by OTIFIC, our instrument for measuring, evaluating and improving the customer relevant performance.

Continuous optimisation is carried out within the scope of our quality management system and is supported through the "FIRST Quality" project for improvement of the product quality as well ad through implementation of "Best Practices".