CEMEX USA wrapped up its second annual Sustainability Month, celebrating Earth Day and the company’s longstanding commitment to sustainability and circular economy with activities across the United States designed to promote environmental awareness and encourage positive action for our planet.
Throughout April, CEMEX USA held events nationwide that included educational seminars, tree plantings and tree distributions to encourage employees, customers and communities to contribute to a more sustainable future.
“Sustainability is key to our business at CEMEX, and our commitment is deeply-integrated in our operations as we work to positively impact our world,” said Jerae Carlson, CEMEX USA’s senior vice president of sustainability, communications and public affairs.
During Sustainability Month, CEMEX USA highlighted the company’s dedication to sustainability in the following areas:
Sustainable Solutions
- Continued deployment of Vertua, the company’s lower carbon concrete, which provides the same strength and durability as conventional concrete while achieving emission reductions of at least 30%.
- Increased production of lower carbon portland-limestone cement (PLC) at CEMEX cement plants in Brooksville, Fla., Demopolis, Ala., and Lyons, Colo.
- Production of innovative admixtures that can increase the strength of concrete while reducing the overall cement content and embodied carbon.
Sustainable Practices
- Paperless billing that has been implemented with most of its customers.
- Use of lower emission vehicles and fuels at several operations in California and Texas that include renewable diesel and compressed natural gas.
- Increasing the use of alternative fuels at operations, including biomass, for greater contribution to the circular economy.
Sustainable Relationships
- Recognized as 2022 U.S. EPA Energy Star Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence, marking the fourth consecutive year the company was honored for its longstanding commitment to energy management and sustainability.
- Founding membership in the First Movers Coalition, a global initiative to drive the demand for innovative carbon reduction technologies.
- Proud supporter of the Portland Cement Association’s (PCA) and Global Cement and Concrete Association’s carbon neutrality roadmaps.
- Collaboration with Carbon Clean and Oak Ridge National Laboratory to develop a pilot breakthrough carbon capture unit at its cement plant in Victorville, Calif.
Sustainable Future
- Ambitious climate action goals to reduce CO2 emissions worldwide by 40% per ton of cementitious materials by 2030 and deliver net-zero concrete by 2050.
Positive impacts in communities included the following:
- Tree donation events at operations in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama and Colorado, which resulted in the planting of more than 4,500 trees.
- Educational events such as CEMEX’s STEAM Bowl and an annual Earth Day art contest in Florida that benefited elementary and middle school students.
- Employee participation in community cleanup efforts including the Great Port Cleanup in Tampa, Fla., and Victorville Community Cleanup in Victorville, Calif.
- Local sponsorships of Earth Day activities such as New Braunfels Annual Earth Day Celebration at the Headwaters in Texas and restoration projects in Lyons, Colo., where CEMEX provided funding for 2,000 trees to be planted at a nearby farm.
In addition, the environmental and sustainability efforts at CEMEX USA have been repeatedly recognized with awards from the PCA, National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association and National Ready Mixed Concrete Association. Last year, the non-profit organization, Texan by Nature, also named CEMEX USA to the TxN 20 for the third consecutive year, listing it among the top companies for corporate conservation in Texas.