CEMEX hosts summit to help build sustainable, 'green' future for RP

MANILA, Philippines - Global building materials company CEMEX gathered leaders and pioneers in the local construction industry, as well as allied communities and industries involved in various outreach projects, in an important summit to forge partnerships in building a sustainable and environment-friendly future for the Philippines.

CEMEX Philippines hosted the two-part summit recently at the Hotel Sofitel Philippine Plaza in Manila. The first part, entitled “Gathering Hands: Sustainability at Work,” aimed to achieve a “meeting of minds” among various industry stakeholders.

It featured presentations from representatives of Aboitiz Power Corp., Synergia, TSPI Development Corp. and Shell Philippines. Industry stakeholders also spoke on various topics including organizational competitiveness, renewable energy, stakeholder engagement and product eco-labeling.

The second part of the summit entitled “Building the Future – The CEMEX Way” began in the afternoon with cocktails and socials.

This was followed by an audiovisual presentation of the CEMEX Building the Future launch showing the team effort behind the development of innovative CEMEX products.

These included CEMEX’s APO and Rizal Masonry (Type M) cement, an all-purpose masonry cement with a patented formulation that reduces carbon dioxide emissions by up to 32 percent when used as a substitute for ordinary portland cement in masonry works.

CEMEX officials presented their company’s innovations in competitiveness, health and safety, alternative fuels and energy conservation, customer service, and corporate social responsibility.

Part of the introduction of each speaker was the presentation of his or her unique handprint on live cement symbolizing the unique ways he or she is committed or has contributed to a sustainable future.

A massive cement portrait containing all the speakers’ handprints was put on display later in the evening during the Fellowship Event.

“We seek to foster positive, long-term relationships with key stakeholders in order to work with them in addressing the challenges of sustainability,” said CEMEX Asia president Jaime Ruiz de Haro.

CEMEX provides high-quality products and reliable service to customers and communities throughout the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

Its operations network produces, distributes, and markets cement, ready-mix concrete, aggregates, and related building materials in more than 50 countries, and the company maintains trade relationships with more than 100 nations.

CEMEX has a rich history of improving the well-being of those it serves through its efforts to pursue innovative industry solutions and efficiency advancements and to promote a sustainable future.

“It’s not just about what and where we build. It’s about the way we build. CEMEX is building the future and we invite all stakeholders, not just our business partners but also the society at large, to join us,” De Haro said.