Holcim Centennial year celebrated with Community Service

Holcim plant in La Union.

Cement maker Holcim Philippines’s nearly 1,700 employees came out in force for a day of service for its communities in commemoration of its 100th year anniversary of the Swiss construction materials giant Holcim Ltd. Declared as Community Day, Holcim Philippines employees participated in the outreach efforts in its communities in La Union, Bulacan, Misamis Oriental and Davao.

The company also launched Sagot Ko ang Bukas, a campaign to encourage its employees and its partners to pledge on how they can contribute to a better future.

“We’re dealing with an issue of such magnitude, and we know that these efforts can never be enough. We know we have to keep pushing so that we extend beyond our walls – to our families, business partners, to the man on the street.  We know that we have to find a way to bring the concept of sustainability on a personal level, to make it applicable to individual roles,” said Beng Prado, Holcim Philippines vice president for Corporate Communications.

For this, the company has created a Facebook page and microsite on its website where people can register their pledgers.

These activities are part of the Holcim Group’s commitment to have its 80,000 employees world wide participate in outreach efforts in recognition of the role strong community support played in the Holcim Group’s success, and in line with the company’s values and commitment to sustainable development.

Holcim Philippines also plans to add to another flagship corporate social responsibility program (CSR) that focuses on skills training with another which is centered on employee volunteerism for education.

The company’s main CSR program is the ‘Galing Mason, which seeks to raise profile and skills of local masons and has helped train over 3,500 people.

This year, Holcim Philippines will expand its Project Fostering a Child’s Education of Project, which allows employees to contribute to their time and funds to help deserving children finish up to high school. The program was piloted in its Bulacan facility in 2010, and has attracted over a hundred volunteers there.