“Biodiversity:
Which Challenges for Industry?”
CEMEX case
Armando J. Garcia
September 22-23, 2005
Island of Porquerolles, France
Contents
CEMEX Today
The Cement Industry
CEMEX and Sustainable Development
Biodiversity importance
CEMEX Biodiversity Case
Summary / Opportunities
CEMEX Today
CEMEX is one of the
world’s largest building
material companies,
with global presence in
cement and aggregates
and a leading position
in ready mix concrete.
CEMEX Background
CEMEX Background
• Annual sales of $16 billion US
• Operations in more than 50 countries
across the Americas, Europe, Africa, the
Middle East, and Asia
• World’s leading supplier of ready-mix
concrete and one of the largest
producers of aggregates
• One of the world’s top traders of cement
and clinker
• More than 50,000 employees
worldwide
The Cement Industry
In Regard to the Environment
• Concrete is the second most used
substance in the world besides
water.
• Approximately 1.6 billion metric
tons of cement is produced
annually.
• The Cement Industry is one of the
most capital intensive industries.
• The Cement Industry produces 5%
of the global man-made CO2.
Cement Industry
Some Environmental Impacts
• Dust emissions from quarrying, cement
production, and transport.
• Emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other
gases (NOx, SOx).
• Use of Natural Resources, such as:
– Quarrying of limestone, clay and other raw materials.
– Use of fossil fuels.
• Impacts on biodiversity and landscape
aesthetics.
From: WBCSD/CSI
CEMEX and Sustainable
Development
Sustainable Development Strategy
• Employ cutting-edge technology in our operating
processes to assure energy-efficiency and the
optimized use of raw materials.
• Use the most effective equipment and systems to
protect our neighbors and the environment.
• Promote a culture of Environmental, Health & Safety
awareness both within our company and the
communities we operate in.
CEMEX and Sustainable
Development
The Cement Sustainability Initiative
Joint projects : Individual company
– Guidelines actions:
– Best practices – Implement guidelines
– Reporting and monitoring – Integrate SD practices
systems – Publish data
• Climate protection and CO2 management
• Responsible use of fuels and materials
• Employee Health and Safety
Six key areas: • Emissions reduction
• Local impacts on land and communities
• Reporting and communications
From: WBCSD/CSI
CSI Sustainable Cement
Industry Vision 2020
Cement companies have integrated
sound principles and practices of
Sustainable Development into their
global operations as:
• Innovators in Industrial
Ecology and carbon dioxide
management.
• Attractive employers.
• Building relationships of trust
with the communities and
societies in which they
operate.
From: WBCSD/CSI
Global Biodiversity Importance
• 1992: UN Earth Summit (Rio de Janeiro)
• Urgency to manage more Sustainably Natural Resources
• Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
• 2002: World Summit (Johanesburg)
• Identified biodiversity as one of the five priority issues
• Set a global target of achieving a significant reduction in
the current rate of biodiversity loss by 2010.
• 1987 CEMEX in Mexico – Green areas, native plants and
wildlife.
Business and Biodiversity
“There is a business case for
integrating biodiversity into
core management systems:
to manage risks, capitalise
on opportunities and meet
corporate social
responsibilities.”
Biodiversity in CEMEX
CEMEX recognizes the importance of conservation and
management of biodiversity as a business and a social
responsibility issue. We are all part of ecosystems and
ecosystems provide us with important environmental services.
Conservation and management of biodiversity issues are
important and should be part of our considerations in our
decision making process.
At CEMEX we have a three way approach:
• Be a responsible steward of the land we manage.
• The mitigation of biodiversity risks in our operations.
• Proactive leadership and teamwork with partnerships that
enable CEMEX to make a positive contribution to the global
conservation of biodiversity.
CEMEX Biodiversity Case
Elements
• License to operate and grow
– Access to land.
• Full commitment to Cement Sustainability
Initiative
– Task forces, Best practices, Public commitments.
• Corporate Social Responsibility
– Collaboration with NGO’s, Governments, Universities, Local
communities and all stakeholders.
CEMEX Biodiversity
Cases
On Site Biodiversity Projects
• El Yaqui Wildlife Restoration Mexico
• Florida Wetland Research Center United States
• Alicante Agricultural Area Spain
• Attenborough Nature Reserve United Kingdom
• CEMEX Angling – Lakes & Rivers United Kingdom
• Martot Reforestation France
CEMEX Biodiversity
Cases
On Site Biodiversity Projects
El Yaqui Wildlife Restoration Mexico
• Cement plant quarry site.
• The Desert Big Horn Sheep was
at the verge of extintion in
Northern Mexico.
• Quarry land offered a suitable
habitat for sheep reproduction.
• Partnerships with NGO,
Indigenous community, the
National Environmental Agency
and Universities.
• Origin of our National Desert
Big Horn Sheep Restorastion
Program.
CEMEX Biodiversity
Cases
On Site Biodiversity Projects
Florida Wetland Research Center United States
• Operating Quarry near the Everglades.
• First center in the world to focus
specifically on wetlands restoration.
• Quarry land was donated to an
International University.
• Living laboratory for scientists to study
techniques to restore wetlands.
• Helping to protect the US’s largest
wetland system, home to 68 endemic
and threatened species.
CEMEX Biodiversity
Cases On Site Biodiversity Projects
On Site Biodiversity Projects
Alicante Agricultural Area Spain
• Fruit production
was choosen as a
the preferred land
use.
• 120 hectares of
peaches,
nectarines and
plum trees.
• Microclimate, early
harvest.
• Employment to
local communities
• Competitive prices
for produce export.
CEMEX Biodiversity
Cases
On Site Biodiversity Projects
Attenborough Nature Reserve United Kingdom
• Aggregate Quarries.
• Restoration into lakes and
habitat that encourages
waterfowl and other wildlife.
• Leisure: walking, boating,
angling.
• Management in conjunction
with the Nottingham Wildlife
Trust.
• The Trust has active
participation with
conservation programs and
volunteer staff.
CEMEX Biodiversity
CEMEX Biodiversity
Cases
Cases
On Site Biodiversity Projects
CEMEX Angling – Lakes & Rivers United Kingdom
• Began in 1967 – at
completed sand and
gravel pits.
• Lakes with natural
surroundings.
• Fish, birdlife and other
biodiversity.
• Contributes to UK
demand for angling
sites.
• CEMEX owns 64 lakes
and 14 rivers.
CEMEX Biodiversity
CEMEX Biodiversity
CEMEX Biodiversity
Cases
Cases
Cases On Site Biodiversity Projects
On Site Biodiversity Projects
Martot Reforestation France
• Completed quarries used to increase size of original forest area
• Quality reforestation for future needs.
Proactive Partnerships
for protecting Biodiversity
• Sierra Madre
– Conservation Books Program.
– El Carmen Conservation Initiative.
• Conservation International
– Support to Conservation Strategies - Megadiversity,
Hotspots, Wilderness.
– Marine Conservation Center – To protect the Gulf of
California, a highly biodiverse ocean ecosystem.
• Birdlife International
– Memorandum of Understanging to achieve significant
biodiversity gains at local, national and international levels.
– Cross training and sharing of best practices to broaden
business, managerial and environmental perspectives for
both organizations.
Proactive Partnerships
for protecting Biodiversity
Main Benefits
• Access to valuable information and knowledge.
• Dialogue with people from different cultures and
backgrounds.
• Broadened the company's understanding of
biodiversity issues.
• Enhance the reputation and credibility of our company.
• Building trust and respect with government authorities,
communities and other stakeholders.
CEMEX Biodiversity
Cases
Off Site Projects
• CEMEX Conservation Books Worldwide
• Santa Maria Habitat Restoration Model Mexico
• Desert Big Horn Sheep Restoration Program Mexico
• El Carmen Conservation Initiative Mexico - US
CEMEX Conservation
Book Program
Off Site Projects
CEMEX Conservation Books Worldwide
• NGO Partnerships: Sierra
Madre, CI, IUCN, WWF, others.
• Starting in 1993, we have
published a series of 13
conservation books.
• Todate more than 200,000
books published.
• Several books present a
strategy for global Biodiversity
conservation
• Promotes environmental
culture around the world.
Santa Maria
A Working Model
Off Site Projects
The main objective is
to demonstrate how
domestic livestock
and native wildlife can
achieve a sustainable
ecological balance,
and provide a
diversified economy
for ranchers in the
region.
Santa Maria
Habitat Restoration Program
Off Site Projects
The need for a habitat restoration program that could
be applied in the northeastern Mexico region
motivated CEMEX to initiate the Santa Maria Habitat
Restoration Program in 1995.
Depleted land Restored land
Santa Maria
Habitat Restoration Program
Off Site Projects
• The success of Santa
Maria Restoration
Program has grown into
a national initiative.
• Now, CEMEX,
SEMARNAT,
PRONATURA and UNEP
are joining together to
estlabish an international
Habitat Restoration
Training Center.
Desert Big Horn Sheep
Restoration Program
Off Site Projects
Objectives
• Recover the Desert Bighorn
Sheep populations within
their former natural range in
northern Mexico.
• Prepare a sound
conservation plan for the re-
introduction of the sheep.
• Partnerships with
governments, conservation
organizations and wildlife
agencies to restore the
species.
El Carmen
Conservation Initiative
Off Site Projects
• We are being the catalyst
to protect this
international ecological
mega corridor.
• One of the largest and
most biodiverse,
protected areas in North
America.
• A Hotspot and a
Wilderness.
• Partners: Agrupacion
Sierra Madre,
Governments and
Ranchers.
El Carmen
Conservation Initiative
Off Site Projects
CEMEX has both acquired
land and entered into
conservation agreements
with neighboring landowners
for a total area of 95,000
hectares.
El Carmen
Conservation Initiative
Off Site Projects
El Carmen contributes
directly to the practice of
SD and protection of
Biodiversity
• Baseline Inventory
• Developing a long term
management plan
• Habitat restoration
• Wildlife restoration
• Scientific research
• Conservation Partnerships
El Carmen
Conservation Initiative
Off Site Projects
Ranching, mining
and logging
industries heavily
exploited the area
until the first half of
the 20th century.
Now CEMEX is
taking restoration
actions to facilitate
recovery of areas
impacted by human
activities in the
past.
El Carmen
Conservation Initiative
Off Site Projects
One of the most biodiverse ecosytems in
North America Now being protected
Summary / Opportunities
There is a global target to reduce the rate of biodiversity
loss and everyone must join this agenda.
• Our experience in Biodiversity is:
– CEMEX has earned prestige and respect from important
conservaion NGO’s and governments, for what we are doing.
– Biodiversity issues attract more the eye of stakeholders vs.
gray issues.
– Our conservation books are being used by experts in the field
as reference material.
– Good relationships with neigboring communities.
– A key element of our Social Responsibility Philosophy.
• Making strategic alliances with key stakeholders to find
innovative actions for supporting social concerns, is a
business responsibility.
www.cemex.com