LafargeHolcim admits to paying off armed groups in Syria

The Franco-Swiss cement giant LafargeHolcim has admitted that its staff in Syria paid armed groups in return for being able to operate one of its now-closed cement plants and ensuring the safety of its employees.  On Thursday, the company issued a press release responding to allegations made in numerous publications in 2016 about the company making deals with Syrian armed groups.  An independent investigation supervised by its board’s finance and audit committee revealed the then Syrian branch of the then Lafarge company (before its merger with Holcim) had dealt with armed groups in 2013 before evacuating its factory in northern Syria, located 150 kilometres (95 miles) northeast of Aleppo in 2014.  “It appears from the investigation that the local company provided funds to third parties to work out arrangements with a number of these armed groups, including sanctioned parties, in order to maintain operations and ensure safe passage of employees and supplies to and ...

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