Volunteering news

14 May 2012: Holcim Serbia has published a video on its "100 trees for 100 years" events which took place at the end of April. Volunteers, local residents and some local and national politicians took part.

11 May 2012: As part of the Holcim "Together for Communities" volunteering drive, the employees of the headquarters of Holcim US (located in Waltham, Massachusetts) have planned numerous events focused on education, youth engagement and local sustainability. In May and June, volunteers plan on preparing dinner for students, staff and graduates at the Epiphany School in Dorchester, and helping 5th and 6th graders with homework assignments. Holcim has also planned several reading events at the Natick Public Schools, where Holcim will provide a book to each student, and a copy of each of these books to the school’s library. On April 21st, Holcim volunteers led a 2012 Earth Day Charles River Clean Up in Newton. Holcim volunteers will also serve lunch at the New England Center for Homeless Veterans in Boston during the months of June and October.

9 May 2012: Switzerland’s Bruno Weber Park is known for its fantasy-like cement sculptures. At the end of March, eight Holcim Switzerland volunteers spent a day – and a lot of muscle power – helping spruce up the park. They filled containers with old sculpture molds, laid wooden pathways, and cleaned staircases.

7 May 2012: Both the "Europa" school in Targu Mures, and the "Ioan Bob" school in Cluj, are showing signs of age. Over five days at the end of April, Holcim employees worked to restore the grounds outside each school. Activities included restoring the "green space", installing benches, and painting sidewalk rims and fences.

4 May 2012: The Ada facility of Holcim US is leading nine "Together for Communities" projects throughout the year, including employee-planned blood and toy drives, a recycling day, tutoring at a local school, partnering with Ada Boys and Girls Club, and coaching local baseball teams. Ada employees will also participate in other local programs including volunteering for Meals on Wheels, the Potomac Animal Welfare Society and local Winter Smith Park beautification projects.

About "Together for Communities"
In 2012, Holcim is celebrating 100 years of strength, performance and passion. By volunteering in their communities, Holcim employees are celebrating the Centennial in a special way. Even though each single activity is driven by local needs, the initiative is a global one - and runs under a global header: Together for Communities.

Our aim is to engage as many of our 80,000 employees as possible to work one day for the community – volunteering for a good cause in the name of Holcim. If enough people participate, we can provide 100 years’ worth of volunteering work to society. This is very much in line with our values and our commitment to sustainable development.

Sustainable development has been a cornerstone of Holcim’s business philosophy since early on, so this initiative builds on strong foundations and known values. Many Group companies have already engaged in employee volunteering in the past, and some have ongoing programs in place. We want them to make a special effort in 2012 and encourage others to start such initiatives this year.