Promoting a Circular Economy
Our global Future in Action programme outlines the promotion of a circular economy as one of the key pillars in our journey to becoming a carbon net zero business by 2050. As part of both our sustainability and social impact commitments we offer various environmental awareness programmes aimed at children and young people to encourage younger generations to better understand and contribute to the transition towards the Circular Economy.
This programme is aimed at the entire educational community: it is developed for students, utilising activities designed for each stage of learning, as well as for teachers, providing tools and guides to facilitate teaching.
Promoting STEM Subjects – Cambridge Science Centre
Cemex supports a range of science, technology, engineering and mathematics initiatives across the UK, including the Cambridge Science Centre, a charity providing science education to children from all socio-economic backgrounds in the East of England.
Cambridge Science Centre’s activities range from visits to schools and community venues, to holding pop-up science fairs in some of the region’s underserved areas. Over 36,000 children benefitted from the charity in 2023.
Groundwork East
Groundwork East, part of the wider Groundwork UK organisation are an environmental charity working across the East of England to create stronger, healthier communities, and greater prospects for local people.
Cemex has partnered with Groundwork East for over 16 years, providing educational programmes for primary and secondary schools in Hatfield and its surrounding areas. Through the partnership, over 2000 children have had the opportunity to visit our Hatfield Quarry and Armwell Nature Reserve and gain an understanding of the importance of quarrying, wildlife conservation, geology and local industry .
Find out more about Groundwork East
Groundwork Five Counties
Groundwork Five Counties, like their sister organisation Groundwork East, are a charity working to enhance and develop new educational opportunities for people in the East Midlands.
Our partnership with Groundwork Five Counties, provides the opportunity to engage with local primary schools through classroom sessions and visits to our Dove Holes Quarry in Derbyshire. Students develop an understanding of the importance of minerals and quarrying, biodiversity, environmental conservation, as well as discussions around health and safety.
Early Careers Support
Early career’s support forms a key part of Cemex’s community engagement by creating opportunities to connect with students and introduce the dynamic and diverse range of opportunities offered by Cemex in the industry.
Our Cemex teams lead skills development and career guidance sessions in schools or on sites giving young people an opportunity to talk about career paths, or career opportunities at Cemex. Conversations with employees, including those who recently left education and entered industry, have been important in helping students make informed decisions about their future educations and career path.
Educational Site Visits
We provide learning opportunities for local schools through site visits at a number of our plants across the country. Through this, schoolchildren are given an introduction to our industry and are able to observe our operations. Young people also develop an understanding of the significant efforts that we are making across our business to become more sustainable through lower carbon products, reducing carbon emissions, enhancing biodiversity and promoting a circular economy.
Visiting local schools and colleges
Our employees visit local schools and nurseries to talk to children about Cemex. Through this, we build new relationships within communities as young people get to engage with a local employer, gaining insight into our industry and the different type of job roles that are available.
To celebrate International Women’s Day, our Assistant Quarry Manager at Halkyn, Vicky Harrison, visited a local nursery to talk to children about her role and share an important message that everyone has the potential to achieve their dreams, regardless of gender. Vicky also explained the importance of safety in quarrying and captured the children’s imagination with stories of dinosaurs to explain the age of some of the materials at Halkyn.
In addition, our Public Affairs Analyst, Daniel Mann went back to his old school in Leyland, Lancashire to talk to students about his experiences in Public Affairs, and the job opportunities available in that field.
