Date published: November 3, 2015

According to the World Health Organization, worldwide there are 1.38 million new cases and 458 000 deaths from breast cancer every year. It is one of the most common cancers among women and can afflict men as well. As a company that values our employees, our clients, and the members of our communities, at CEMEX we have undertaken different initiatives to join the battle against breast cancer during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Today great strides have been made in the fight against breast cancer, in no small part thanks to the efforts to bring awareness about the disease and the importance of early detection for effective treatment. To this end, many of our business units undertook internal campaigns to teach employees about the importance of self-exams. For example, our employees in Poland, aligned with human resources, made use of the recently created 'Women's Forum' to put together an informational campaign.

Some of our business units looked towards the community, such as our employees in Panama who hosted speakers at the CEMEX Community Development Center and whose ANSPAC graduates visited local hospitals and neighborhoods. Still other offices lent their time to fundraising efforts involving charitable organizations.

We are pleased to play a part in the global fight against this disease that truly affects everyone. These are some of the initiatives we undertook this month:

UNITED KINGDOM: The CEMEX offices in Rugby formed a 5-person volunteer committee dubbed 'The Pink Ladies' to organize a number of fundraising initiatives in October, including a raffle and food stalls that brought in small business owners from the community. One of the most anticipated activities was the 'Great Pinkish' employee baking competition where CEMEX UK President Jesús González served as the 'celebrity judge.' Of course, all involved were encouraged to wear pink, and even one of the CEMEX trucks dressed up! More

PANAMA: Our ready-mix trucks in Panama got a makeover as part of an external campaign to raise awareness in a country where breast cancer is the second-leading cause of death and diagnoses in women under 40 have increased. People who shared pictures of the trucks on social media were entered in a contest to win tickets to a breast-cancer benefit concert sponsored by CEMEX. Throughout the month our colleagues also shared important facts about the disease to raise awareness and partnered with local organizations to host workshops and events, including a (pink) charity ride with a team of CEMEX cyclists. More

CORPORATE: As part of a broad awareness campaign, CEMEX's corporate offices were full of pink flowers in October and all internal bulletins switched to pink branding. Special care packages were distributed with detailed instructions on self-exams and the 'Pink Cross' NGO conducted a workshop on the subject. In addition, 25 mammograms were given away to employees in Mexico's recommended age group to begin breast cancer screenings. More

EGYPT: A special presentation was created and shared with female employees in Egypt that covered different facts about breast cancer, from what is known about causes to symptoms and treatment, in preparation for an expected awareness session with a doctor to be held in November. To further promote awareness and early detection, CEMEX has decided to cover the fees for female employees in Egypt that need to have a mammogram in November. Employees were also invited to join a run against breast cancer organized by a Cairo hospital that specializes in early detection and treatment. More

COSTA RICA: Our employees in Costa Rica arranged for the campus doctor to give a chat about early detection of breast cancer to members of the community. Emails were also sent out to employees stressing the importance of self-exams. More

MEXICO: Our CEMEX Mexico offices partnered with the country's Pink Cross Foundation to offer a number of educational activities. Three different self-exam workshops were given to accommodate as many employees as possible, and an additional seminar was held to discuss the importance of early detection, during which free mammograms and ultrasounds were given away. Specialists were also brought on campus for private, one-on-one appointments with interested employees. More

UNITED STATES: Once again, our employees at the US headquarters in Houston, TX put together a team of volunteers to run under the CEMEX name at the annual Race for the Cure, setting up a fundraising page and designing team t-shirts. Unfortunately due to dangerous weather, the event was cancelled. More

CEMEX is a global building materials company that provides high quality products and reliable service to customers and communities in more than 50 countries. CEMEX has a rich history of improving the well-being of those it serves through innovative building solutions, efficiency advancements, and efforts to promote a sustainable future.


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