CEMEX USA wraps up Sustainability Month

From the end of March throughout the month of April, CEMEX USA held events across the country such as tree distributions, tree plantings at its facilities and virtual educational seminars to encourage its employees, customers and communities to contribute to a more sustainable future. Many of the initiatives correlated with Earth Day on 22 April.

“At CEMEX, we are committed to sustainability across our operations and consistently seek opportunities to help make a positive difference through our sustainable practices and partnerships,” said Jerae Carlson, CEMEX USA’s Vice President of Sustainability, Communications & Public Affairs. “Sustainability is key to our business, and we hope through our efforts, we can encourage our customers, our communities and others to join us in the journey.”

During Sustainability Month, CEMEX USA promoted sustainability in the following four areas:

Sustainable Construction

• CEMEX USA reached out to customers to inform them of its range of sustainable products including Vertua, the company’s low-carbon concrete.

Sustainable Practices

• CEMEX USA distributed and planted more than 1100 trees across its operations that are expected to absorb approximately 4.1 million pounds of CO₂ over the lifetime of the trees and provide other long-term environmental benefits.
• 400 native trees were distributed in Tennessee as part of Tennessee Tree Day in partnership with the Tennessee Environmental Council.
• 200 native trees were distributed in Miami-Dade, Sumter, Lee and Collier Counties in Florida.
• CEMEX and Florida International University held a Tree Planting Ceremony on 21 April, highlighting their 15-year partnership and celebrating the university’s new International Centre for Tropical Botany.
• 430 native trees were distributed to employees for planting at home and at our cement plants in Clinchfield, Georgia and Demopolis, Alabama.
• A micro-forest project promoting biodiversity via native tree, shrub and pollinator flowers was planted on the grounds of the Lyons Cement Plant in Colorado.
• State-Specific Native landscaping guides were provided to customers and employees to help increase awareness, provide technical advice and inspire others to recognise how native landscaping – even the smallest backyard patches — can make a big difference for wildlife.

Sustainable Partnerships

• CEMEX USA supported and secured donations and sponsorships for community programmes and events, including:
• Donation of a pickup to Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve in Birmingham, Alabama
• Annual Earth Day Celebration at the Headwaters in New Braunfels, Texas
• S.T.E.A.M. Bowl Competition for 150 students in Lake County, Florida, to educate students on the industry with a rigorous competition on five subject matters: science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics.
• Painting of a mural honouring local ecology in the Bay Area’s India Basin and employee participation in the community’s Beautification Cleanup Day
• Provided volunteers to build fish habitat structures for the Northern Redbelly Dace in partnership with Left Hand Watershed Centre in Boulder County, Colorado.

Sustainable future

• Virtual educational webinars on sustainability and biodiversity conservation practices were held in California, Florida, Tennessee and Texas with CEMEX’s employees, local schools, universities, and community partners.

CEMEX USA was recently named US EPA ENERGY STAR^® Partner of the Year for the third consecutive year, earning the 2021 Sustained Excellence Award. More than 50 CEMEX USA operations have received recognition from the ENERGY STAR program since 2007. In addition, CEMEX USA’s environmental and sustainability efforts have been repeatedly recognised by the Portland Cement Association and National Stone Sand and Gravel Association.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/the-americas/05052021/cemex-usa-wraps-up-sustainability-month/