Holcim Receives Honors

In December, Holcim, a cement plant in Theodore, Alabama, earned top honors for their corporate citizenship efforts. This award followed earlier recognition for environmental performance awarded by the Portland Cement Association.

The company accepted the Council of State Governments’ 2006 CSG Award for Corporate Citizenship. Holcim’s 156 employees in Theodore were honored.

The award was presented to Joe McFalls, Plant Manager by the CSG President , Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry. During 2006 Holcim was involved in many community support initiatives with two specific efforts in the Theodore area highlighted in the award.

Because there were so many in their community displaced by Hurricane Katrina, Holcim employees helped in the construction of 11 homes for Habitat for Humanity throughout the year. In addition, Holcim teamed up with a customer to provide the organization with the concrete to build them.

A medical clinic in Bayou La Batre that serves the under-insured suffered severe damage after Hurricane Katrina, but was almost ready to re-open in early 2006. Before that could happen, a fire destroyed it the day before it was due to open.

Holcim spearheaded a partnership with The Forum, a trade association for the Mobile-area manufacturing concerns, to collect over $120,000 to help re-build the clinic. In addition, Holcim sponsored two students from the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta as temporary staff for the summer.

“For all of us at Holcim, Katrina hit very close to home,” said McFalls. “Our company has a great history of stepping up to help whenever there is a need. Social responsibility has always been a cornerstone of Holcim’s commitment to sustainable development. The people who were affected by Katrina are our friends, neighbors and customers.” McFalls continued, “I am honored to receive this award on behalf of all of our employees who’ve worked so hard to help out.”

In addition, the Portland Cement Association has a program to foster continuous environmental improvement and back up that spirit in action. Holcim won the “Environmental Performance” award which honors the facility that goes beyond laws, permits, and regulations to minimize their impact on the environment. Specific focus included opacity control, stack emission testing, and reduction of carbon monoxide emissions. The plant also utilized multiple by-products from other industries as waste minimization and natural resource conservation and the plant has dramatically reduced water discharge. Holcim’s Theodore plant was named the winner over all cement plants in North America.

We commend Holcim for their top honors.

Standing Up For Free Enterprise • Standing Up For Alabama's Manufacturing Jobs • Affecting Outcomes in Montgomery