Public Policy

We engage with governments and regulators to communicate our positions on public-policy issues that can affect our company and stakeholders. We are increasingly focused on achieving our sustainability objectives, particularly within the context of more stringent legislation and the development of economic policies that promote environmental protection and a move toward a low-carbon economy. As such, our participation in policy development and discussions focuses primarily on climate change and related issues such as sustainable construction.

We manage public affairs on a regional basis as regulation varies from country to country. For example, the European Union emissions trading scheme is a priority in that region. And as the largest building materials supplier in North America, CEMEX leads regional public-policy discussions about the importance of cement and concrete products in building a sustainable future.

We communicate directly with regulators to make our positions on key topics known, as well as through our memberships in national and regional trade associations such as the European Cement Association (CEMBUREAU) and industry forums such as the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and the Portland Cement Association. We also publish position papers, speak at external conferences and engage with non-governmental organizations, think tanks, and academic institutions to support our public policy aims.