Holcim Philippines wins regional sustainability award
The initiatives of cement manufacturer Holcim Philippines, Inc. to mitigate the environmental impact of its operations was recently cited by a Southeast Asian non-government organization for entrepreneurship, saying other companies in the region are using these as benchmarks.
Singapore-based Enterprise Asia conferred to Holcim Philippines the Green Leadership Award during the first Asia Responsible Entrepreneurship Awards last June 10. Holcim Philippines’s Sustainable Development (SD) team entered programs of its plants for reforestation, mine rehabilitation, emission monitoring, site beautification and biodiversity enhancement, among others.
Holcim Philippines’s plants in La Union, Bulacan, Lugait and Davao all follow the said programs, which the company cited to support its efforts to ensure sustainable operations.
The company’s reforestation initiatives involve host communities and extend beyond its facilities. Holcim also implements a progressive rehabilitation policy so quarry sites can be used productively even before these are completely mined out. Plants are equipped with Continuous Emissions Monitoring Systems to ensure that emissions are within permissible levels set by the Holcim Group and the Clean Air Act.
“Holcim has gone beyond all the parameters for measuring sustainability, integration, innovation, results and solution…It has also become a strong benchmark for other companies within the Holcim Group and the region as well,” Enterprise Asia said in a statement.
“The recipients believe in the larger responsibility of recognizing the impact of running their businesses on the environment and they have sought to reduce and reverse them,” added Enterprise Asia.
Thailand-based firms Tetrapack Li and Thai Union Frozen Products PCL were also among the awardees.
“Recognitions such as this inspire us to continue what we have started. With everyone’s sustained support, we hope to be able to deliver more tangible results in our Company’s efforts to manage our impact on the environment and reduce our carbon footprint,” said Holcim Philippines SD head Mike Cabalda.
Twenty-five other companies also received awards. Over 120 companies from six Asian countries participated in the competition.
The Asia Responsible Entrepreneurship Awards recognizes organizations for their commitment and contribution to the society and environment through their Corporate Sustainability projects.
