The building materials group Holcim has to dig deep for previous offenses committed by the French cement company Lafarge in Syria.
According to a company statement, Holcim has agreed to a US$777.8 million fine in settlement proceedings with the US Department of Justice.
The legal case concerns deals that Lafarge had done with the terrorist militia Islamic State in Syria.
Holcim writes that Lafarge and the Syrian company Lafarge Cement Syria (LCS) have pleaded guilty to a case of collusion to provide material support to organizations classified as terrorists in Syria. The activities took place between August 2013 and October 2014. LCS had already ceased operations in Syria at that time.
Merged with Holcim in 2015
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The French Lafarge group merged with the Swiss Holcim in 2015. The group was then officially called LafargeHolcim for several years. In the meantime, however, the name of the entire company has been changed back to Holcim.
The US Department of Justice (DoJ) meanwhile stated in its verdict that Holcim was not involved in the controversial activities in Syria. The executives involved in the activities are not currently active at Lafarge or any of its subsidiaries. And the authority pointed out that Holcim has a comprehensive compliance program and that no independent compliance monitor is necessary, Holcim continues.
In Paris, Lafarge is also charged with aiding and abetting crimes against humanity. The company has denied this allegation. “Lafarge SA continues to cooperate fully with the French authorities in the investigation of the events and will defend itself against any judicial action that it considers unjustified in the context of the French proceedings,” the statement said.
SRF 4 News, October 18, 2022, 5 p.m.; awp/sda/hesa;hosb
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