History

CEMEX introduces a housing program for employees of the Monterrey plant.

To filter dust, CEMEX introduces bag-house technology, a significant industry innovation.

CEMEX's Monterrey and Mérida plants kilns' four-phase pre-heaters reduce the cost of installation and collect dust in their filters.

CEMEX develops a wildlife conservation project around the recently opened Yaqui plant in Mexico.

CEMEX begins publishing annual conservation books to promote the preservation of biodiversity. CEMEX develops an environmental policy.

CEMEX formally establishes its eco-efficiency program, the cornerstone of its sustainable development strategy.

CEMEX publishes its first environmental report. CEMEX becomes a member of The World Environment Center.

CEMEX's first cement plant obtains ISO 14001 environmental certification.

CEMEX develops its strategy to manage carbon dioxide emissions.

CEMEX publishes its first Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) report.

CEMEX establishes Patrimonio Hoy, a flagship program that provides low-income families with reliable access to low-cost materials.

CEMEX's CEO and Chairman of the Board becomes Council President of the Tecnológico de Monterrey University.

CEMEX supports El Carmen, a private-public conservation project in Mexico. CEMEX is one of ten leading companies working with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) on the Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI).

CEMEX establishes the CEMEX+FNPI New Journalism Award together with Gabriel Garcia Márquez.

CEMEX, with nine other leading cement companies, develops the Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI) Agenda for Action. CEMEX joins the Advisory Board of Boston College's Center for Corporate Citizenship.

In Mexico, CEMEX launches Construrama, a retail building solutions network.

CEMEX receives the World Environment Center’s Gold Medal for International Corporate Achievement.

CEMEX publishes its first sustainability report. All of CEMEX's cement plants in Mexico, Spain, the Philippines, Venezuela, and Egypt achieve ISO 14001 certification.

CEMEX signs the UN Global Compact.

CEMEX launches its integrated health program to promote employee wellness.

CEMEX launches its ConstruCard program to provide financing options for people at the base of the economic pyramid.

CEMEX becomes a member of the Global Leadership Network (GLN), a network of global companies committed to achieving world-class performance in corporate citizenship.

The EHS Steering Committee becomes the Sustainability Steering Committee and extends its scope to new issues.

CEMEX upgrades its EHS management system to pilot a sustainability management system (SMS).

CEMEX creates the Corporate Vice Presidency of Sustainability, replacing its former EHS department.

CEMEX publicly reports on Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI) indicators regarding climate-change management, fuels and materials use, health and safety, emissions monitoring and reporting, and local impacts.

CEMEX publishes CSI commitments.

CEMEX receives a World Business Award for Patrimonio Hoy from the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the Prince of Wales International Business Leader's Forum (IBLF), and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

For the first time, CEMEX's CO2 emissions are audited by independent consultants.

CEMEX starts following the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) G3 guidelines to produce its 2006 Sustainable Development Report and meets an application level B.

CEMEX receives the Corporate Citizenship of the Americas Award from the Trust of the Americas for its Patrimonio Hoy program.

CEMEX signs a 10-year agreement with BirdLife International and commits to collaboration with them on habitat and biodiversity protection.

The Spanish company ACCIONA Energía begins development of the Eurus Wind Farm Project, which, when fully operational, will provide 25% of CEMEX’s power needs in Mexico.

CEMEX meets application level A+ from the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).

In November 2009, CEMEX was among sixteen leading corporations to sign a memorandum of understanding for the Corporate Commitment to Wilderness (CCW) at the Ninth World Wilderness Congress. CCW is an initiative of The Wild Foundation, the only international organization dedicated entirely to international wilderness protection.

CEMEX Chairman and CEO Lorenzo H. Zambrano signed the UN Caring for Climate statement in August 2009. Caring for Climate is a voluntary global initiative, developed jointly by the UN Global Compact, the UN Environment Program, and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, to address climate change on a global level. Caring for Climate provides an interface between global business leaders and governments to develop pragmatic business solutions to reduce climate risk and create value for companies.

CEMEX introduced a carbon footprint tool—the first of its kind in the building materials industry—that allows the company to measure the greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) of all of our cement, ready-mix concrete, and aggregates products. It measures emissions from raw-material sourcing to the release of the finished product at the factory gate.

CEMEX begins a three-year partnership with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to strengthen our approach to water issues. IUCN is the world’s oldest and largest global environmental network. In this partnership, we will develop a strategy to minimize CEMEX’s impacts on water availability and quality and take better advantage of our water-related opportunities by effective water policies and management systems.

CEMEX took an active role at COP 16 (the sixteenth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) held in Cancun, Mexico November 29 through December 10, 2010.

CEMEX joins the newly launched Sustainability Index of the Bolsa Mexicana de Valores (BMV) and receives a Sustainability Seal issued by BMV. Seventy Mexican companies were analyzed based on adoption of international best practices. CEMEX is one of the 23 companies selected to join the Index.

CEMEX launches new Health and Safety policies, implements our new Health and Safety Management System, and requires greater accountability for safety performance from all our managers.

CEMEX celebrates its tenth year anniversary of habitat and conservation activities in El Carmen. Our El Carmen Initiative helps protect and conserve approximately 200,000 hectares of ecologically significant land along the United States–Mexico border through a progressive partnership between CEMEX, other private landowners, governments, NGOs, and universities.

CEMEX launches a new Biodiversity Policy in biodiversity management of our quarries.