Providing enhanced value to our customers and end users through sustainable products is one of CEMEX´s main strategies for growth ensuring that top-end concrete technology is adequately developed and delivered to fulfill their challenges.
 

CEMEX does more than manufacture concrete, we develop innovative solutions that advance the sustainability of structures made of this material. By leveraging years of experience, a worldwide pool of knowledge and state-of-the-art expertise on the constituents of concrete (cement, aggregates and admixtures) we can offer a customer centric approach for product development: “Concrete by Design™”.

This enables customers to design and construct sustainable buildings that take advantage of the benefits of concrete in a wide range of applications.
 

BALANCING PERFORMANCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Experts from our R&D Center in Switzerland in collaboration with our Cement and Ready-Mix Technology Center in Mexico design products that fulfill the construction industry´s increasingly demanding performance requirements. Thanks to the use of CEMEX admixtures, which enhance the performance of our products in a unique way, the company offers a special concrete portfolio, lead by our Global Brands:

Insularis – Structural light weight and ultra light weight thermal insulating concrete.

Promptis – Rapid hardening concrete solution that can help save time during construction.

Evolution – Ultra performance self compacting concrete.

Hidratium – Self curing, crack resistant concrete technology.

Supaflo C – Cement-based, selfleveling screed that is easy to pump can be used in areas subject to wet conditions.

Pervia – Permeable concrete that can be used in large areas of surfacing and minimizes water runoff.

Ready Wallform – Energy efficient insulated concrete system that is quick to construct.

CEMEX is working to ensure a pipeline of Green Building certified projects that represent almost 10 million m². More than 33% of our annual ready-mix sales derived from products with outstanding sustainable attributes.

GREEN BUILDING SERVICES

CEMEX partners with national and international experts to complement our skills and provide a complete array of specialized services in sustainable construction. Working collaboratively, we integrate all members of the construction value chain to optimize results and maximize profits.

Ecoperating™ Seal Continues to Expand

The ecoperating™ seal was launched in 2012 as a global identifier for our most sustainable products, services and solutions. With the expansion of the scope of the seal to buildings, it has entered into a new phase that allows us to recognize the efforts of our clients to go beyond business-as-usual and deliver truly sustainable projects.

Both the ecoperating™ Building Certification and Product Seal have been rolled out in nine countries on four continents: Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama, the Dominican Republic, Croatia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and the Philippines.

As urban populations grow and Climate Change causes more extreme weather, the need for resilient infrastructure is growing exponentially.

Concrete is the second most used resource by humans after water, forming the basis for much of society’s infrastructure.

CEMEX focuses on balancing this increasing demand for resilient infrastructure that serves societies’ needs with products, construction practices and maintenance that have minimal impact on the environment. In 2016, we installed more than 5 million m² of concrete pavement in more than 460 infrastructure projects across 17 countries.

Please visit CEMEX’s position on infrastructure and Regulation here.

Concrete is an essential component to the development of resilient infrastructure. CEMEX is a leader in building large infrastructure projects and solutions such as highways, airports, roads and bus lanes, among others. We address the challenge of creating a sustainable urban environment by striving to understand the environmental and social benefits and impacts of concrete and its varied applications.

Key sustainable attributes of concrete include:
•    Strength and durability
•    Low maintenance
•    Affordability
•    Fire-resistance
•    Low heat conductivity
•    Local production and use
•    Less solar heat absorption
•    Water management

We have a portfolio of competitive technologies to pave the world with concrete
 

For further details on our pavement solutions please click here

More than ever before, city planners will have to find ways to house rapidly escalating urban populations while maintaining a focus on affordability.

Through numerous initiatives, we support the social and economic development of communities at the base of the socioeconomic pyramid. With unmatched expertise in tailor-made systems that are easily adapted and lead to efficient construction of homes, we are delivering housing for all socioeconomic markets in 13 different countries.

ENERGY-EFFICIENT WALL SOLUTIONS

Central to this effort are first-in-class wall systems – cast-in-place, wired EPS panels, Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF) and precast systems – that provide multiple benefits that improve the sustainability, speed and economics of housing construction.

In 2016, CEMEX contributed to the construction of more than 4,000 affordable and/or efficient units, representing more than 75,000 m².

For further information click here.

Our mission is to be the best neighbor and private sector contributor to community development and serve as an engine of economic growth through innovative and sustainable solutions.

98% of our operations have implemented Community Engagement Plans. We strive to generate new opportunities for our communities by:

• Unlocking the power of individuals through capacity building that enhances their skills, competencies and abilities
• Investing in infrastructure, education, the environment and social innovation
• Creating and strengthening alliances

Click here to know more about CEMEX's Position on Communities
 

COMMUNITY CENTERS

To develop sustainable communities, members must have access to the information and resources they need to be successful. That’s why we’ve created the Community Centers that serve as central locations for our workshops and courses focused on developing skills that will help the participants secure employment or start a small business, improving their household income.

Proyectos bajo Certificacion Sostenible
In Mexico, the first Community Center was inaugurated 10 years ago.

To increase awareness and promote environmental consciousness, we’ve also begun building Environmental Education Centers that will foster discussion and solutions that both protect the environment and improve community members’ quality of life.

THE CEMEX-TECNOLÓGICO DE MONTERREY CENTER FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

The CEMEX-Tecnológico de Monterrey Center for Sustainable Development joins members of the public and private sector with universities to discuss initiatives, share knowledge, create tools and promote the development of skills and capabilities that lead to more sustainable communities. The center is currently focused on building these efforts in Mexico, however it will soon expand its scope to other parts of Latin America.

For more information about the Center please access www.cdcs.com.mx

GREENHOUSES AND HOME GARDENS

CEMEX greenhouses provide spaces dedicated to producing plants and trees that contribute to quarry rehabilitation and the reforestation of public places in the communities where we operate. In addition, our home gardens initiative provides community members with an opportunity to develop vegetable cultivation skills and produce food that enhances their family’s nutrition.

In addition, our home gardens initiative provides community members with an opportunity to develop vegetable cultivation skills and produce food that enhances their family’s nutrition.

ATHLETIC ACADEMIES

Exercise is a crucial element of a healthy lifestyle. In the communities surrounding several of our operations across the globe, we’ve developed CEMEX football and baseball academies that provide athletic facilities across neighborhoods. These academies promote healthy habits and the integration of diverse communities. More than 10,000 children annually participate in our academies to promote a healthy lifestyle.

CEMEX is dedicated to ensuring sustainability is fully embedded into every aspect of our business.

That’s why, in addition to providing products and solutions that contribute to more sustainable cities, we go above and beyond, collaborating with local communities to ensure everyone has access to adequate resources. CEMEX is committed to the development of businesses with a purpose through social and inclusive business opportunities that focus on providing the necessary tools and skills and bringing together citizens and local authorities to work on the issues society is facing. More than 685,000 families have participated in our social and inclusive business opportunities.

Our initiatives foster empowerment and growth, creating lasting sustainable value.
 

GROWING PLATFORM

With the firm objective to contribute to the mitigation of poverty in our communities, CEMEX has developed self-sustaining business models in the construction industry. We work with low-income community members as partners, consumers and suppliers through a portfolio of programs that cover the following needs:

• Savings and credit
• Housing
• Employment
• Basic services

PATRIMONIO HOY

Patrimonio Hoy is our flagship inclusive business that helps low-income families improve their quality of life through better and dignified housing, realizing their dream of home ownership through a wellplanned savings program.

Sustainable Products, Solutions and Services
Patrimonio Hoy operates in Domincan Republic, Mexico, Colombia, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.

Combining the global presence of CEMEX distribution with the power of microcredit, the program offers integral solutions to families by providing financial and technical assistance in the construction of their homes. With more than 100 offices in Latin America, Patrimonio Hoy enables families to build or improve their homes quicker, more efficiently and with more durable and insulating materials – concrete, cement blocks and steel – that would otherwise be beyond their means.

More than 570,000 families have received support from the program and built homes at one-third of the cost and in one third of the time. That’s 4.3 million m2 of livable space acquired.

PRODUCTIVE CENTERS OF SELF-EMPLOYMENT (PCS)

To foster self-sufficient, sustainable communities, CEMEX created productive centers of self-employment (PCS). These spaces allow participants to produce concrete blocks and other precast products, half of which they can use to build, repair or expand their homes. Municipal or state governments purchase the other half for infrastructure development. The resulting proceeds are reinvested in the centers to make them self-sustaining.

We currently operate 154 PCS across Nicaragua, Mexico, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Panama, and the program continues to grow. More than 225,000 people have benefited from this social business.

CONSTRUAPOYO

Through our Construapoyo program, CEMEX facilitates the distribution of funds for the construction, repair and extension of homes with a prepaid debit card system, creating a transparent process through which aid recipients are able to purchase the building materials they need.

As of 2016 more than 171,000 people in Mexico and Colombia have benefited from this program since it started.

CONSTRUYO CONTIGO

Improving access to affordable housing is a multi-dimensional challenge requiring numerous approaches. Many low-income families not only lack access to financing for purchasing building materials and hiring masons, they also lack the technical skills needed to build safe and sustainable houses. Construyo Contigo is designed to improve housing for low-income families by offering the training, funding and technical assistance they require to construct their own homes. Its business model is based on public-private partnerships with governments, non-profit organizations, universities and communities.

To empower low-income families and improve their housing, Construyo Contigo combines the following four programs and practices:

• Productive Centers of Self-Employment (PCS)
• Construapoyo
• Housing Construction Technical Assistance & Training
• Psychosocial Intervention & Evaluation

As of 2016, almost 30,000 people in Mexico and Colombia have resulted beneficiaries from Construyo Contigo.
 

GREEN TECHNOLOGIES PROVIDE ACCESS TO BASIC SERVICES

Joining forces with social entrepreneurs, CEMEX creates affordable community solutions that provide access to basic services such as clean water, energy and waste, among others.

The CEMEX eko stove is more efficient, takes less time to install, is more durable and requires less maintenance than similar models in the market. As of 2016, more than 18,000 CEMEX eko-stoves have been installed.

As a global business we understand the differentiated priorities and needs of our local communities.

CEMEX aims to add public value by leveraging our business capabilities, our global network of employees and strategic alliances to enhance the solutions we offer.

We’ve created initiatives across sectors that seek to provide vulnerable groups with a number of opportunities for growth.

OUR SOCIAL INCLUSION PROGRAMS

Empowering Women
Almost 30 years ago, CEMEX aligned with ANSPAC, a non-profit organization that provides technical training and guidance to women living near our cement plants.

In 2016, more than 6,000 women benefited from workshops offered by CEMEX in partnership with ANSPAC.

Proyectos bajo Certificacion Sostenible

Empowering Disabled Individuals
An inclusive program, UNIDOS fosters collaboration between volunteers and people with physical disabilities, working with organizations to incorporate disabled individuals into activities and projects.

In addition, our “Congruencia” program in corporates those with disabilities into our company, recognizing people’s talent and skills regardless of their condition.
 

CAPACITY-BUILDING INITIATIVES

New Employment Opportunities for Youth
Led by the Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF), a member of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Group along with the International Youth Foundation, the IDB’s Social Sector Department and corporate partners Arcos Dorados, Caterpillar, Microsoft, Walmart and CEMEX, the New Employment Opportunities for Youth (NEO) program focuses on increasing job entry among poor and low-income youth.

Mason Training Program
CEMEX Philippines continues implementing its ‘Experto Ako’ program, providing free masonry training to masons within the community. The program, in partnership with the Philippine Business for Social Progress and the Training Education and Skills Development Authority, helps masons enhance their craft and develop professional skills to improve the way they run their business and manage finances.

Apprentice Drivers Program
This yearlong scheme is designed to help fill the need for more drivers in the UK, providing 18-24 year olds with the opportunity to learn about our business and get their Driving Goods Vehicles apprentice certification before they are then hired as full-time employees.

VOLUNTEERING

Volunteer programs allow CEMEX employees to offer their talent, time and leadership to make a difference in their communities. Of the countries in which we operate, 75 % have volunteering programs in place.

'Manos a la Obra' Volunteering Program in Mexico and Latin America
CEMEX's volunteer program through which we offer our talent, time and leadership to make a difference for the benefit of society. Through its activities, we participate with actions that contribute in issues such as education, environment and community development. We contribute to improving the quality of life of children who need it most and protect green areas of our environment by planting 5,000 trees.

Lend-a-Hand Volunteering Scheme in CEMEX UK
Through the UK’s ‘Lend-a-Hand’ scheme, every employee is allowed to take one volunteer day each year to help a local charity. The program also promotes team building, bringing together small groups from across the business to participate in a variety of volunteer activities, from hospice decorating to refurbishing children’s playgrounds.
 

‘Hero’ Our Volunteering Program in the Philippines
“HERO” (Help. Engage. Reach Out) program encourages employees to invest time and effort to disaster relief operations, safety education, community outreach and many other causes.

Since 2015, CEMEX Philippines undertakes local restoration and sustainability initiatives such as tree mangrove planting and river cleanup activities with the Provincial Government of Rizal.
 

Building the Future Foundation
For the last six years, CEMEX Poland’s Building the Future Foundation has focused on a grant competition and volunteer program that support and shape numerous environmental and social initiatives.
 

Latvia’s “CEMEX Opportunity Fund”
In Latvia, employees can apply for the "CEMEX Opportunity Fund", which is a fund targeted for projects that have a positive social and environmental impact. Employees can nominate NGOs in which they are members. Projects are evaluated on publicly available rules, which apply equally to the projects that were not presented by employees.

For years, we have focused on reducing our emissions, increasing energy efficiency in our operations, using lower emission alternatives to traditional fossil fuels, decreasing our clinker factor and promoting renewable energy.

As part of our core strategy, we strive to implement sustainable construction practices and develop products that help society meet green growth goals.

We have significantly increased our use of low-carbon alternative fuels, surpassing our CSI target of 15 percent alternative fuels usage by 2015, and have set a new target to reach 35 percent by 2020.

We also replace traditional energy intensive clinker with slag, fly ash and pozzolans, contributing to a reduction in the CO₂ footprint of our cementitious products. In 2015, our overall clinker factor was 78.6 percent, down from 84.3 percent in 1990, and our emissions of CO₂ per ton of cementitious products dropped by 21.6 percent compared to 1990, putting us on track to meet our 25 percent reduction target by 2020.

As a result of our initiatives to reduce our clinker factor, increase the use of alternative fuels and reduce our indirect emissions through the consumption of renewable energy, we avoided more than 8 million tons of CO₂ emissions. That’s comparable to offsetting the average annual emissions of 1.5 million passenger vehicles.

To consult CEMEX's CO₂ related policies please access the following links Climate Change, Market Mechanisms for Climate Change, Carbon Capture and Storage
 

EXPANDING CDM & VCS PROJECTS

Through programs such as the United Nations’ Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), CEMEX has been working for more than a decade in the identification, documentation and registration of projects that mitigate carbon emissions below typical levels and generate equivalent offsets.
 

PROMOTING THE USE OF OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT TOOL

Central to our CO₂ reduction efforts is our Carbon Footprint Tool (CFT). It helps us quantify the direct and indirect amount of CO₂ emitted during the production of our products on a cradle to- grave basis, including embedded CO₂ in raw materials, energy carriers, transports, etc. The CEMEX CFT is being used in all cement, aggregate and ready-mix sites under our operational control and information is readily available to all CEMEX customers interested in the analysis of any product supplied by the company.

As part of our sustainability efforts, we continuously strive to find ways to meet the demands of a growing urban society without compromising the planet for future generations.

We’re creating new purposes for materials that traditionally would have entered the landfill, providing our communities with an effective and secure way to alleviate the social, economic and environmental issues associated with municipal waste management. For example, our alternative fuels program is a key part of our sustainable manufacturing.

Through co-processing – the utilization of waste as a source of energy – and the use of ashes from combustion, we’re reducing the use of extracted raw materials.

For more information on CEMEX's position regarding Alternative Fuels please click here

Over the past decade, our alternative fuels substitution rate has risen almost six-fold, from 5.1% in 2005 to 23.3 percent in 2016. At year-end, 92% of our cement plants burned alternative fuels, avoiding the use of 1.6 million tons of coal.

CEMEX has become the leading user of alternative fuels in the cement industry, replacing traditional fuels like petcoke and coal with those that have a lower carbon emission factor as well as carbon neutral alternatives, such as biomass residues.

ADVANCING OUR WASTE REDUCTION MANAGEMENT

At CEMEX, we dispose of the waste generated by our production processes in accordance to local regulations. In terms of operational waste streams, cementkiln dust represents the largest amount of waste we produce. We try to reuse it in production and other processes as much as possible and seek to monitor, minimize, reuse and recycle all of our wastes when possible.

To minimize the amount of generated waste sent for disposal, we have integrated waste management into our operations in several respects. We reuse many of the by-products of our operations—for example, cement kiln dust (CKD)—in our production process. We commonly add CKD to finished products and use it to stabilize waste or for environmental remediation. We seek additional beneficial uses for any CKD produced and, through good operational practices, keep to a minimum the proportion that we send to landfills. The rest of our operations produce comparatively little waste.

Other efforts include:

• Monitoring of hazardous and nonhazardous waste generation in all of our operations
• Replacing primary aggregates with other discarded materials (e.g. demolished concrete)
• Reusing and recycling fresh concrete returned from construction sites

For more information on CEMEX's position regarding Aggregates Recycling please click here.

Thanks to these efforts, 94% of our waste has been recovered, reused and recycled, meaning only 6% of the waste generated by our operations is sent to disposal sites.

In addition to minimizing the waste produced by our operations, we are increasingly using society's waste—chipped tires, sewage sludge, household waste, and biomass such as rice and coffee husks, sawdust, and palm residues—as alternative fuels in our cement kilns. In the process, we are diverting societal waste from landfills and using it to displace fossil fuels and reduce CO2 emissions. We are also using by-products from the steel and power industries, such as fly ash and blast furnace slag, as alternative cementitious materials to reduce the percentage of clinker in our production process and help reduce energy consumption.

We are committed to doing whatever it takes to reduce our environmental footprint. As part of our ongoing efforts, we strive to:

Air Quality & Noise

Cement production releases different types of pollutants into the environment, mainly as airborne emissions, which must be strictly controlled. The major emissions our operations release are dust, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur compounds, which are often subject to national legislation and local regulation. Other pollutants, such as dioxins, furans, volatile organic compounds, and heavy metals, are usually found in very small quantities in emissions from our cement plants. We have comprehensive continuous and discontinuous systems in place to monitor the release of major and minor emissions.

Our efforts include:

• Investing in equipment to reduce major emissions (dust, NOx, SOx),
• Establishing the “status analysis” for minor emissions at cement kilns (evaluating the emissions “fingerprint” of each kiln to determine if additional controls are needed),
• Developing guidelines for handling fuels and emissions,
• Participating in industry-based efforts and multi-stakeholder dialogues to develop methods for addressing mercury and dioxin emissions,
• Reporting emissions in accordance with the CSI reporting protocol.

In addition, we are working diligently to monitor, measure and reduce our carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions as part of our broad-based effort to address climate change. We are increasingly using alternative fuels and renewable energy sources to generate power for our operations. We invest in wind, hydro power, and waste-to-energy projects that power our operations and help us reduce our CO2 emissions.

Our quarrying and cement manufacturing activities give rise to emissions of noise and vibration that can have a negative impact on the health and well-being of workers as well as the surrounding community.

We work to mitigate the noise associated with our operations through operational controls and local measures such as noise suppressors, regulation of distance between noise sources and operators, isolation of noise sources, scheduling of blasting activities, and the provision of ear protectors to employees working in areas where noise levels exceed noise limits. These controls conform to the standards and requirements of our environmental management system and local regulations.

To minimize traffic congestion, and as part of our sustainable transport approach, we seek alternative ways to transport our raw materials and products. For example, many sites use conveyor belts to transport raw materials from the quarry, which reduces noise, congestion, and the likelihood of traffic accidents while also conserving fuel use. We seek alternative modes of transport—for example, multimodal systems comprising road, rail, and water transport—wherever feasible to reduce these impacts. The ultimate impact of these efforts is to reduce noise, vibration, energy use, CO2 emissions, and costs.

WATER

BIODIVERSITY

Protecting the natural resources society relies on is an important part of the sustainable development of urban environments.

Natural ecosystems are intrinsically valuable and provide essential services to people, sequestering carbon, providing fresh water and supporting food production and disease prevention.

Rapid urbanization, climate change, energy demand, biodiversity loss and water scarcity are global issues that will exert significant demands on businesses and society over the next decades.
 

MANAGING WATER TO MINIMIZE USE

Water is of paramount importance to CEMEX. It makes up approximately 25 percent of concrete mixtures and is used in several stages during the production process of cement, ready-mix and aggregates as well as for cleaning plants, trucks and equipment. To protect this natural resource and help our business flourish, we must increase our water efficiency and control our water waste.

In 2013, we also launched our Corporate Water Policy which defines our global strategy for responsible water management and acts as a framework for the development of local water conservation and efficiency strategies across our operations worldwide.

In 2016, we continued implementation of our Corporate Water Policy across operations. This includes standardization of our water measurement based on the Water Protocol developed in coordination with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). In 2016 our water withdrawals were 15% less water than in 2015.
 

BIODIVERSITY ACTION PLANS (BAPS)

Biodiversity Action Plans (BAPs) are CEMEX’s principal tool for achieving a net positive impact on biodiversity. CEMEX and BirdLife International have created a standard for the development of BAPs to ensure individual operations are able to thoroughly and systematically produce their own tailored to the particular biodiversity values associated with the operations and challenges they face. This work is guided by our Corporate Biodiversity Policy, which is fully integrated into our business model in all countries and operations, and aligned with the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and its Aichi Biodiversity Targets.
 

SUPPORTING THE EUROPEAN UNION’S NATURE CONSERVATION POLICY

In recognition of the value and achievements of our national partnerships with BirdLife, BirdLife Europe and CEMEX issued a joint statement wholeheartedly supporting the European Union’s Nature Conservation Policy.

PRESERVING EL CARMEN

Since 2001, CEMEX has been preserving nature and sharing its wonder through El Carmen, a private trans boundary conservation area in Mexico owned and managed by CEMEX and other private landowners.

Comprising five different ecosystems, the wilderness reserve is home to a myriad species of plants, birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians.

With an area of 140,356 hectares, the reserve is eight-times larger than the amount of area CEMEX has dedicated to operations worldwide.

Today, El Carmen is one of the most important biodiversity hotspots and trans boundary ecosystems in the world.

CONSERVATION & NATURE BOOK SERIES

Since 1993 CEMEX has had the privilege to work with some of the world’s most prestigious and dedicated conservation organizations to publish provocative books that illustrate the need to preserve and protect our environment.

This series is part of our commitment to promote among our stakeholders a culture of biodiversity awareness and conservation, as well as to raise awareness of the interconnected nature of biodiversity and climate change. We publish a new book each year that illustrates strategies and diverse approaches to foster the protection of our natural world and is complemented by powerful images from the world's best nature photographers. We have distributed these books through public and private sectors as well as universities, where they are used as a reference tool by experts in several fields. We have donated thousands of the books to conservation organizations to help them fund their projects.

To know more about CEMEX Conservation & Nature Book Series click here
 

A Geography of Hope: Saving the Last Primary Forests

Released on September 2016, this new book combines splendid photography with expressive prose to warn us about the urgent need to preserve our primary forests and their rich biodiversity.

The protection, restoration, and reforestation of primary tropical forests alone could provide up to 50 % of the climate change mitigation scientists deem necessary over the next 50 years. They are also essential for filtering and maintaining freshwater flows and supporting the livelihoods of millions of indigenous people around the world.

Protecting our forests require urgent action form the community, governments and businesses as a whole, including designation of protected areas and financing.

This volume is presented in collaboration with Conservation International (CI), Earth In Focus, and The Wild Foundation. CI uses science, policy and partnerships to protect the nature people rely on for food, fresh water, and livelihoods.

CEMEX NATURE SITE

To further promote a culture of appreciation and respect for nature across the global community, CEMEX is launching the CEMEX Nature Site, using the dynamics of social media channels to reinforce the impact of the published books. The site will go beyond extracts from the most recent books to include information about CEMEX’s other biodiversity and environmental projects.

We welcome you to visit CEMEX Nature Site: www.cemexnature.com

We are determined to find opportunities to meet the demands of a growing society through effective and secure ways to alleviate the social, economic and environmental issues.
 

REDUCING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT FROM OUR OFFICES

In localities where administrative processes are carried, we seek gradually to implement the system “3 R's of Environment”: Reducing, Reusing, and Recycling to manage effectively the resources we use to do our work. At CEMEX we have realized that the implementation of this system is not only the right way to act, but this system has proved its business case in the company providing savings and significant gains that help us countersign the implementation of this initiative throughout our worldwide operations.

Reducing...
One of the actions we have promoted is reducing the use of printing paper and eliminated paper towels for drying hands in offices, replacing this by electric hand dryers. Only in the corporate offices we have managed to save 1.2 million paper towels in a year, this is equivalent to 127 trees. 

We have also put into operation a test program consisting of the installation of some lighting control devices to reduce our energy consumption. Thanks to this measure at the Corporate Hedquarters, we have reduced around 65% of our electricity use in offices, bathrooms, meeting rooms, halls, and other frequently used spaces.

Reusing...
We have installed some containers to reuse sheets that have been used only on one side. The containers are located generally next to a printer; the goal is that employees use these papers to print non official documents. 

Also some of our administrative operations have their own water treatment plants in order to give the water other uses such as watering gardens. 

We reused some materials and appliances for some remodeling projects in our buildings such as air conditioning systems, steel products, furniture, etc.

Recycling...
As an example of recycling in almost all our administrative offices we have implemented trash cans to separate paper, organic, plastics, and other type of wastes. We send these wastes to recycling centers. 

For some of the recent remodeling projects across our operations, we acquired new furniture produced from recycled sources. 
 

INSTIGATING GREEN POWER

Our operations in Mexico consume renewable electricity from our wind farms Eurus and Ventika. Also our operations in California, Germany, Dominican Republic, Colombia, the Philippines and Panama are also provided totally or partially of renewable energy depending on the location. These actions help us to reduce our electricity consumption and dependency from fossil sources.

We also have made some agreements with photovoltaic panels, solar heaters, LED Bulbs companies to get preferential prices on quality products for our employees. We are expanding these agreements to our operations in other countries. More than 500 solar panels have been installed to date.

Two conferences about home energy saving were held in Mexico, employees could follow the discussions via Webcast. Technologies such as efficient air conditioning systems, solar heaters, solar cells, LED bulbs, etc. were presented during the talks. Some tips to reduce energy and water consumptions were given as well.

GREEN BUILDING POLICY

Recognizing the potential negative impacts associated with the design, construction and operation of our buildings, CEMEX has implemented a new policy focused primarily on our administrative and industrial buildings that are our property as well as those in which we have a lease contract. The policy requires that our new facilities have an accreditation by an international green building certification such as LEED or BREEAM. This new policy in CEMEX will help us to find opportunity gaps to reduce our consumption of non-renewable resources. To learn more about this policy click here.

Green Building policy includes the sustainable use of water. In order to achieve LEED or BREEAM accreditations, it is necessary to implement low water consumption technologies and infrastructure that captures rainwater.
 

SUSTAINABILITY MOBILITY AND HOME OFFICE
We have implemented a sustainable mobility program in the corporate building to address the problem of traffic congestion in the city of Monterrey, promoting the use of shared car or “car pooling” among employees, reducing gasoline consumption and greenhouse gas emissions associated with employee commuting, and contributing to reduce traffic in the city. Some priority parking spaces have been designated for employees who participate in car pooling, as well as for employees who drive electric or hybrid cars. A charging station for electric cars was installed next to the priority parking places, in which the electricity is supplied from our Eurus wind farm, making the mobility of these cars carbon-free.

In our corporate offices in Monterrey a drive tests program of electric and hybrid cars was implemented, the program’s goal was to give our employees the opportunity to test these vehicles and know more about their environmental and economic benefits. More than 100 drive tests were held during the program.

In our operations where bicycle mobility is common, we provide facilities and adequate spaces to park the bicycles.

We also allow our employees to work remotely when they have personal issues to attend to, as long as the characteristics of the work permit it, for example, work done primarily in a computer.

In our recently revised CEMEX Vision, we’ve made safety the top priority, developing principles that guide our H & S behavior:

• Ensure nothing comes before the health & safety of our people, contractors and the community

• Make safety a personal responsibility; look after yourself and each other

• Strive to create a workplace with zero injuries and fatalities

• Maintain accountability for safety practices

HEALTH & SAFETY LEADERSHIP

The health and safety of people is of utmost importance at CEMEX. We are committed to identifying and reducing any health and safety risks associated with our operations by improving how we reinforce safe behaviors with our employees and contractors and strengthening the accountability of management for ensuring safe behavior. Our safety leadership program E-LEGACY, “E” stands for “everyone is a non- technical, interactive program that helps front-line employees assess risks and integrate safe and healthy practices into their day-to-day activities, promoting a strong H&S culture within our organization. In our operations, our H&S committees—with representatives from front-line workers, line supervisors, managers, and unions—meet regularly to discuss any concerns and to help reinforce H&S practices and programs.

In 2016, we launched our global H&S Academy. Designed to enhance the leadership skills of our line managers and supervisors, the Academy’s objective is to ensure that H&S is our top priority at any site across our organization, from our production plants to our corporate offices.

In addition, we have developed a root-cause investigation tool to improve the quality of incident investigations in the company. This process enables us to better understand the true root causes of safety incidents and those aspects of our safety management system that we must strengthen in order to prevent injuries. Also, we have developed a root-cause analysis training course to improve the quality of incident investigation.

Visit our Health & Safety Policy Here
 

DRIVER & CONTRACTOR SAFETY

Driving is the activity that leads to the majority of fatalities in our industry. In addition, approximately 60 percent of all fatalities in the CSI database are related to contractor activities. At CEMEX, we believe that greater industry collaboration on driving- and contractor-safety initiatives that address the causes of these fatalities is necessary to prevent additional loss of life. That is why we led the Driving Safety Working Group in developing consistent, industry-wide practices for reporting safety performance and evaluating progress in reducing incidents and injuries over time. The CSI document, entitled Recommended Good Practice for Driving Safety, outlines practices for drivers, their managers, and transport management contractors. A similarly titled document, Recommended Good Practice for Contractor Safety, outlines safety practices for both contractors and subcontractors.

The CEOs of all 21 CSI member companies approved these practices in October 2009, and all CSI companies are expected to implement the practices in their operations.. CEMEX is committed to implementing these practices and to prioritizing actions to improve performance. Ultimately, these efforts will help to eliminate driving- and contractor-related injuries and fatalities.
 

HEALTH ESSENTIALS

Based on the work of our global health and safety council and other feedback, we have established Health Essentials, a global health campaign designed to reduce the prevalence of health risks associated with our operations and encourage employees to live a healthy lifestyle both inside and outside the workplace. The campaign's objectives are to unify all of our health efforts worldwide and to align all occupational and preventive health programs, both current and developing, at all levels of the company. The program formalizes and strengthens our knowledge base for the different aspects of CEMEX's Health & Safety Management System. The program also establishes guidelines to guarantee that all business units act upon the same health standards, reducing cost and minimizing employee health risk and inefficiencies.

The Health Essentials initiative aligns all current and developing CEMEX health programs, occupational as well as preventive, at the local, national, and regional levels. It is divided into twelve different health promotion topics and aims to cover the most important issues our people face every day in both occupational and preventative health. Topics such as Lung Power and Safeguard Your Back directly touch upon the occupational risks our employees may face on the job. Topics including Healthy Heart and Vaccines aim to promote a healthier culture within CEMEX, increase our employees' quality of life, and reduce the number of days lost due to illness. This campaign has built awareness of health issues, encouraged employees to undertake preventive healthcare, and ultimately helped to create a healthier culture within CEMEX.

In addition, the program builds trust, motivates employees, and reduces healthcare costs.

The campaign features easy-to-understand materials that are distributed to CEMEX employees worldwide, as well as a system for global knowledge-sharing and standardized guidelines to promote health and safety within operations around the world. Materials such as presentations, brochures, flyers, bilingual posters, and self-evaluation tests, as well as activities related to the prevention issues, are ready for use. At the same time we launched the health logo Fit 4 Life that includes all the initiatives referring to healthy habits.

Similarly, 96% of the operations implement a program of annual preventive health among employees.

In addition to our CSI-related efforts, we at CEMEX are developing internal driving safety and contractor safety plans to demonstrate our continued leadership in these areas.
 

SAFETY AWARDS

Since 2000, the annual CEMEX Safety Award has promoted excellence in safety and health at our operations worldwide. Sites are judged on performance, safety leadership, risk management, incident investigation, analysis, and follow-up. The award is given to the best performing and most improved facility in each business segment.

HEALTH AND SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Our Health and Safety Management System (HSMS), is a risk-based system that clearly establishes the company’s expectations of managers in terms of health and safety performance. Aligned with OHSAS 18001:2007, a leading international standard for occupational health and safety management systems, our new HSMS is designed to enable us to accomplish the following:

• Identify and reduce safety risks
• Develop supporting standards and guidelines
• Share best practices throughout the company
• Continually improve the health, safety, reliability, and efficiency of operations
• Be fully implemented in all operations

The HSMS is the focal point of our improvement strategies and our actions support it. We monitor the compliance with the HSMS in all operations, together with the continued review of it to ensure it remains current, valid and reflecting business hazards and risks.

At CEMEX we create value by leveraging our global portfolio of cement, ready-mix, aggregates and related products and solutions. Nonetheless, to be a truly solutions-driven company means more than simply producing and selling our products. It’s about connecting with our entire value chain.

At CEMEX, our core strategic goal is to become the most customer-oriented company in our industry. Our success is directly dependent on theirs, meaning that in all of our markets we must become our customers’ best option.

We are investing time into building strong relationships, actively listening to make sure we fully understand customers’ needs.

To help us achieve these customer focused goals, the CEMEX Commercial Council was created to promote and align all initiatives and ensure these efforts receive expert support and guidance. We are investing considerable time and effort in commercial excellence across our global organization. Our Commercial Academy, the institutional training for our sales force, is continuously looking for ways to expand and provide new customer-centric courses that create results and value for our customers now and down the line.
 

PROMOTING SUPPLIER SUSTAINABILITY

To promote the importance of sustainable practices across our supply chain the Supplier Sustainability Program was launched. Extending CEMEX’s commitments, practices and beliefs to our suppliers, we’re fostering a sustainable, reliable network. In 2015, more than 2,800 suppliers were assessed using sustainability criteria, which concluded that 70% of the countries in which we operate use formally recognized sustainability criteria in the selection of suppliers and contractors.

The program consists of four key phases:

• Surveying suppliers regarding Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and financial topics.
• Enacting a communication campaign based on the survey results.
• Reinforcing awareness of specific policies that incorporate aspects of sustainability including human rights, labor and antitrust, as well as the Code of Conduct when Doing Business with us, based on our CEMEX Code of Ethics and the UN Global Compact 10 principles.
• Preparing a scorecard to track and reward sustainable suppliers.

As part of the program, we work with a third-party sustainability supply management firm that monitors suppliers in terms of social, environmental, ethical and financial performance. Once evaluated, suppliers receive an individual report identifying areas for growth.

At CEMEX, we value our employees. Our people are our competitive advantage and the reason we are successful. That is why we hire the best and the brightest, and we take care of them.

We are a dynamic organization that provides growth opportunities for our people, helping them fulfill personal career ambitions. We identify future leaders, enabling and encouraging them to develop innovative processes and assess risks and opportunities for improvement among our operations. In addition, we foster an open dialogue at all times, encouraging our employees to raise questions and speak up when something is off track and provide ideas for how to solve issues that may arise.

To ensure each and every one of our employees receives the benefits that matter most to them, we implemented approximately 600 employee engagement initiatives. To keep our efforts on track, our Engagement Survey, collects feedback from our employees on a number of topics including development, compensation, leadership communication and worklife balance, among others.

We share these results with our leaders and HR professionals. Providing them with the information they need, we empower managers to take immediate action and help us identify areas of improvement at a global, regional and local level.
 

ENABLING CONTINUING EDUCATION

At CEMEX, we understand that education is a building block for success and holds a valuable purpose and place in the workforce. We foster our employees’ professional growth, helping them fulfill their career ambitions through continuous training and development opportunities that enhance their skills and enable them to work smartly, safely and effectively. Our training topics include Health & Safety, Environmental Conservation & Awareness, Stakeholder Engagement, Building Commercial Capabilities and Leadership Development.
 

ETHICS-RELATED TRAINING SESSIONS IN 2016

DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE LEADERS

At CEMEX, we believe that leadership is a key component of our success. With true leadership, teams are more focused, more efficient and more effective in meeting customers’ needs. This environment brings out the best in people, serves customers at a higher level and translates into better bottom-line performance. CEMEX has a institutional portfolio of leadership development programs to ensure the continuous presence of leaders that, regardless of seniority or position, keep learning to maintain our sustainable competitive advantage and enhance their professional and personal growth.
 

FOSTERING POSITIVE, PRODUCTIVE INTERACTIONS

To empower career growth and ensure all expectations are met, we believe open communication is crucial. Through our Career Building initiative, managers and employees meet four times a year to discuss employee career progress, performance and results. The meetings are designed to align individual objectives to the company strategy and improve overall satisfaction.
 

COMPETITIVE COMPENSATION SCHEMES

We hold our employees in high regard and aim to provide them with the tools and resources they need to live healthy, fulfilling lives. At CEMEX, we provide competitive compensation designed to support the present and future well-being of our employees.

We constantly look to replicate best practices with the objective to offer our employees attractive benefits beyond the stipulated by local legislations.

For example, over 86% of our global workforce has health and insurance benefits above those required by the local law, including countries such as the Philippines, Bangladesh, Thailand, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Haiti, Nicaragua, Peru and Mexico, among others. Moreover, approximately 50% of our employees receive a pension scheme that goes beyond local requirements.
 

WORK-LIFE BALANCE IN THE COMPANY

CEMEX understands the importance of balance between work and personal life. That's why we encourage our employees and provide them with the means to achieve that perfect balance. Initiatives vary locally and are pushed by the employees and their respective Human Resources department.

In Mexico, for example in some of our corporate operations we have started the program "Summer Fridays", which consists in working till 15:00 during this season. This program was launched so that our employees could take advantage and spend more time with their family and loved ones during the weekend. In Spain our collaborators have a similar program, but it lasts the whole year.

In Switzerland, in the building of CEMEX Research Group AG, employees cannot keep working after certain time in the evening, and they must leave the building

Our operations in the South, Central America and the Caribbean (SCA&C) region (Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic and Panama) have implemented the “More for You” program which includes initiatives such as additional vacation days to those established by law, free day on employee’s birthday and a cake for them to share with their families, discounts on vacation plans, etc. In Haiti activities are organized to keep employees motivated: Spend a day at the beach, year-end party for employees and their families, and health and wellness campaigns.

In UAE they give their workers who are staying in the company provided housing, the opportunity to travel around the UAE during their holidays. If they want to go for prayers to a certain Mosque, we also provide the company bus. The accommodation is provided with some games equipment which they can use during their day off. We also sponsor Sports Tournament. Weekend outing trips for workers.

Our business units focus in supporting women with children through a flexible schedule which allows them to comply with both their duties in the company and as mothers. CEMEX also offers the alternative of working from home in the afternoons (if the position’s responsibilities allow it). Additionally some of CEMEX sites offer mothers private breast-feeding facilities. In some countries the company carries out forums for its female employees to promote women empowerment in their personal and professional roles.

As these cases there are many more throughout our operations. 80% of the countries in which CEMEX has operations have initiatives that encourage employees to have a proper work-life balance.
 

PROMOTING A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE AND STRESS MANAGEMENT

At CEMEX we give great importance to the quality of life of our employees by promoting a healthy lifestyle through the following initiatives:

• Healthy food choice in canteens
• Sport classes
• Information about healthy habits through emails, posters, and our internal social network SHIFT
• Tournaments and internal competitions
• Nutritionists in some operations
• Agreements with gyms
• Sponsors in sporting events
• Tigres Football Academies in Mexico
• Recreational Club CEMEX in Monterrey
• Running club with trainer in some operations

For example, in the Philippines and in the United Kingdom some initiatives that have been implemented this year include sports activities and some excursions. Other example is "The Biggest Loser", which is an internal competition in which employees that desire to participate, compete to reach their own weight reduction goal with exercise and healthy nutrition habits.

Stress management activities are carried out in various ways throughout our operations, including the sport activities previously mentioned. For example in our corporate offices, Yoga, photography and painting classes are offered once a week for all employees. We also provide information with recommendations to reduce stress in E-Mails or posters. We are testing the concept of “Mindfulness” in some of our operations as well. Furthermore, in our operations in Germany we have performed risk assessments concerning mental stress as well as mitigation actions where needed.

At CEMEX, we must comply with all applicable laws and policies, without exception. To instill a strong, responsible culture within our workplace, CEMEX recognizes that “Act with Integrity” is one of the five main values that reflect who we are as a company and guides our daily actions and decisions.

All of our employees are informed about CEMEX business ethics principles in various ways, including via our Code of Ethics, internal communications and displays, face-to-face legal training, audits, global legal compliance policies and intranet training modules.
 

CEMEX REPORTING LINE – ETHOSLINE

CEMEX seeks to ensure that our values remain alive and that our Code of Ethics are upheld. To do so, it’s important all employees feel they have a safe outlet for expressing concerns related to ethics, governance and compliance. At CEMEX, we rely on the ETHOSline as our secure reporting channel. Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, ETHOSline provides employees with an online portal and phone line for sending comments, requesting advice and submitting complaints. To protect employees, the service is managed by a third-party that gathers incident information, documents concerns and relays the information to CEMEX.

ETHOSline was made available to the public since 2014, providing an outlet where they can voice their concerns and report any suspected violations to our policies, values and Code of Ethics.

ONGOING TRAINING & COMMUNICATION

It’s important that our employees have a firm understanding of the values and expectations outlined in the Code of Ethics and Business Conduct. To keep everyone up to speed, we provide regular training and communication about our policies and human rights issues.

ANTI-CORRUPTION & ANTI-BRIBERY

We have zero tolerance for bribery in any form. Our Anti-Bribery/Anti- Corruption Policy, Antitrust Compliance Policy and Insider Trading Policy further demonstrate our expectations and global standards and are continuously updated to reflect the latest developments and corresponding regulations.

To consult CEMEX's business ethics related policies please access the following links: Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption, Global Anti-Trust, Insider Trading
 

GLOBAL COMPLIANCE PROGRAM

To further ensure our employees are acting in a manner consistent with our values, CEMEX Compliance Legal Department has permanently implemented the Global Compliance Program with a focus on the most sensitive countries related to corruption risks in our business systems and processes. Through this program, we train our employees with a focus on antitrust, anti-bribery and insider trading issues and execute internal legal audits (dawn raids) also addressing these topics.
 

HUMAN RIGHTS

The United Nations Declaration on Human Rights, the International Labour Organization's Declaration of Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and the Inter American Convention on Human Rights, identify a set of internationally-recognized human rights encompassing a wide range of issues including health, labor relationships, equality, compensation and association. CEMEX's Policy Statement expresses our commitment to comply with applicable laws, regulations, declarations and international treaties on this matter. It is further supported by other Corporate Policies such as: CEMEX Health and Safety Policy, the CEMEX Code of Ethics and Business Conduct, CEMEX Suppliers Code of Conduct When Doing Business With Us, and CEMEX Environmental Policies.

To help us formally implement the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights we asked Shift, an independent, non-profit center for business and human rights practice whose team of experts was directly involved in shaping and writing the UN Guiding Principles, to help us think through the implications of the Guiding Principles for our business.

To read CEMEX's Human Rights Policy Statement please click Here