examples of csr projects in asia - lafargeholcim.com · sekolah alam started in 2013 with 90...

Working with Communities Examples of CSR Projects in Asia

So the world builds better.

Working with Communities

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Table of Contents

1 – Introduction to Corporate Citizenship at LafargeHolcim .. 2

2 – Indonesia: Sekolah Alam – An Outdoor School for a Brighter Future ...................................................................................... 3

3 – China: Leveraging Community Development to Alleviate Rural Poverty .......................................................................... 5

4 – India: Improving Access to Drinking Water through Roof Rainwater Harvesting ............................................................ 7

5 – Philippines: Barangay Ilang Resettlement – Providing Housing in a Safer Place ....................................................... 9

6 – Malaysia: Upskilling our Masons ........................................ 11


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1 – Introduction to Corporate Citizenship at LafargeHolcim Our Group Sustainability Strategy - The 2030 Plan - sets a vision that the construction sector of tomorrow will be innovative, climate-neutral and circular in its use of resources. It will be respectful of water and nature, and it will be inclusive, enhancing the quality of life for all. Our industrial operations have a wide geographical footprint and are usually present in a territory for an extended period of time. In addition, our cement, concrete and aggregates activities are all local businesses, where manufacturing is often close to the selling point and final customer. Therefore, our operations have an impact on local communities and people’s lives.

At LafargeHolcim, we believe this impact can be positive. We also think our solutions can provide answers to challenges affecting the communities where we operate, such as urbanization, housing needs, health & safety and human rights. This is why we set ambitious sustainability targets. By 2030, we want to help 75 million people live better lives through our inclusive business models, affordable housing and social investments programs. Our social investments are based on long-term strategies, implemented in partnership with specialized local or international actors, and address clear

needs in the communities where we operate. Our areas of focus include health, education, shelter and infrastructure, environment and local employment creation. Every day across 80 countries, LafargeHolcim teams contribute in many ways to turn the Group’s sustainable development commitments into real actions. On the following pages, examples of our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects in Middle East and Africa illustrate how we partner with local stakeholders to create shared value and contribute to the development of communities.


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2 – Indonesia: Sekolah Alam – An Outdoor School for a Brighter Future As part of their CSR activities in the area of education, Holcim Indonesia founded the outdoor school Sekolah Alam in Cilacap, Central Java, in 2013. Offering free tutoring classes to children from underprivileged families, the school improves children’s academic achievements and provides a chance for a better future. In a Nutshell Previous Situation Holcim’s clay quarry in Central Java is located in a suburb of Cilacap City. Most of the area's residents are farmers and freelance workers, including many underprivileged families. While public primary education is free, the cost of enrolling children in after-school tutoring represents a heavy financial burden on these families.

Main Actions In 2013, Holcim launched the Sekolah Alam (engl. outdoor school) program to respond to children’s need for free supplementary education. Targeting both elementary and high school students from surrounding communities, the Sekolah Alam employs four tutors who teach mathematics and English and educate about flora and fauna. Every Saturday and Monday, the students spend approximately two hours studying at the school.

Community Impact Sekolah Alam started in 2013 with 90 students, and with its steadily increasing popularity it reached 153 children in 2016. Thanks to the tutoring lessons, the students’ academic achievements have improved and they earn outstanding marks in the subjects taught at Sekolah Alam. This is particularly important for the National Graduation Exam, where they apply the acquired knowledge to achieve good results in mathematics and English. Benefitting the whole family, the program takes pressure off the household budget, as no money has to be spent on costly tutoring lessons. External Partners The local government’s involvement in encouraging and motivating parents to send their children to Sekolah Alam is a key success factor of the program.

Focusing on homework – girls studying mathematics and English at the Sekolah Alam.


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Contributing to the Education of Neighboring Communities Committed to giving back to the communities where we operate, LafargeHolcim has made education a priority of its CSR activities worldwide. As workers and leaders of tomorrow, today’s children will play a key role in supporting the development of communities and improving people’s quality of life. Strong foundations in mathematics, English and biology will not only enable students to better tackle the challenges of a better future, but also foster their curiosity and ambition and improve their chances for a successful start into their professional life. In Indonesia, ensuring the continuous work of Sekolah Alam is an important part of Holcim’s CSR strategy to improve the livelihood of communities. The increasing number of students shows that Sekolah Alam is part of their hope to get a better education and progress towards their dreams. In addition to the outdoor school in Cilacap, Holcim Indonesia conducts several other educational programs. These include the renowned Enterprise-based Vocational Education (EVE), a three-year diploma in cement engineering for selected local high school graduates with high school marks. Holcim also offers scholarships and a program where it invites its employees to become “foster parents” and provide school uniforms, shoes, books, pens, school bags, and other supplies for orphaned and underprivileged children from neighboring communities in Lhoknga (Aceh), Narogong (West Java), Cilacap (Central Java), and Tuban (East Java). For more information, visit www.holcim.co.id or contact [email protected].

Cheering for a brighter future: elementary school children at the Sekolah Alam.

“Sekolah Alam helps me to improve my school marks at no cost but only the will to attend the class and enhance the capabilities I need to study at a higher education level. Thanks Holcim!” Ayunda, student of Jangrana Village

http://www.holcim.co.id/

mailto:[email protected]


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3 – China: Leveraging Community Development to Alleviate Rural Poverty In collaboration with the provincial government, Huaxin Group’s Tibet Shigatse Cement Company identified five poverty-stricken villages in the surroundings of Shigatse city. As part of their CSR program, and to support the government’s local economic development plan, a three-year poverty alleviation program was launched to increase villagers’ income and create local job opportunities. In a Nutshell Previous Situation The five targeted villages, Dazi, Chimu, Laya of Xiaru Town and Sadang and Danga of Danga Town, mainly rely on agriculture to make a living. There are 164 households with a total of 648 people registered in the villages, of which only 20% are workers with an annual income above the poverty line. Due to outdated production methods, insufficient infrastructure and a lack of information and resources, the villagers’ living standards are among the lowest in Saga County. With an average annual income below CNY 2,000 (USD 300) per capita, the authorities have classified the villages as poverty-stricken.

Main Actions Following a field survey and communication with local community leaders, Huaxin’s management decided to implement nine poverty alleviation projects based on each village’s needs. Between October and December 2016, thorough needs assessments were carried out to understand the local situation, causes of poverty and best-suited alleviation measures. In a second step, financial and material support was handed out to the neediest families, including basic living supplies such as rice, oil and pressure gas cookers

that are needed at 5,000 m altitude. The project team held meetings with the villagers to develop detailed assistance projects that respond to their specific situation. By 2017, five projects have been put in place: Danga: water supply and vegetable greenhouse construction projects Xiaru: construction of chicken farms and agricultural machinery maintenance station Laya: Women hand-knitting studio

Community Impact Huaxin set the ambitious target to lift all five communities out of poverty by 2020. Through the nine community development projects, villagers will benefit from capacity building in business management and marketing, and acquire the skills needed to increase their production and income.

Needs assessment in Sadang village.


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Creating local employment to alleviate poverty In addition to the social projects implemented in the five villages, Tibet Shigatse Cement invited 30 college students and unemployed youth (those who dropped out of middle school), who met the conditions of employment, to join a recruitment preparation course at the company. Targeting people from the five villages, it organized training on the cement production process and procedures in the plant, and introduced the company’s corporate culture and business concept to the participants. After completing the course, eight villagers from poor households were recruited. In accordance with the company's wage standards, the new employees are expected to earn an annual wage of more than CNY 60,000 (USD 9,000), which can help alleviate the poverty of several families. In Tibet, most families rely on one or two people’s regular wages, while the other family members engage in husbandry or are not able to generate income. To lift the five villages out of poverty, Tibet Shigatse Cement’s projects aim to raise the annual per capita income from currently below CNY 2,000 to approx. CNY 7,000 by 2020. By further increasing local recruitment, the company plans to step up its efforts and increase employment and the income of poor households. For more information, visit www.huaxincem.com or contact [email protected].

On-site visit in the women’s hand-knitting studio in Laya village, one of Shigatse Cement’s social projects.

“I extend my heartfelt thanks for Tibet Shigatse Cement Company’s generous help which is performing actual deeds for our villagers with very quick implementation. I hope to have more young people work in this cement plant in future. “ Da Waciren, Director of the Poverty Alleviation Office, Saga



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4 – India: Improving Access to Drinking Water through Roof Rainwater Harvesting The Ambuja Cement Foundation (ACF) has implemented social programs and helped to improve the quality of life in communities around Ambuja Cement’s operations since 1993. When water scarcity was identified as a pressing problem in the states of Gujarat and Rajasthan, ACF launched an initiative to implement Roof Rainwater Harvesting Systems (RRWHS) and enable access to clean drinking water in affected communities. In a Nutshell Previous Situation Villagers in Kodinar (state of Gujarat), and the desert areas of Mundwa and Rabriyawas (state of Rajasthan), suffered from a lack of access to quality drinking water. The groundwater was contaminated with a high content of total dissolved solids, salinity and fluoride, and local ponds showed high bacteria concentration due to their use for households and cattle. The scarcity of clean drinking water lead to several problems: first, people had to rely on the irregular supply of tanker water which was often delivered in insufficient quantities. Second, water collection from distant sources was considered the primary duty of women, who typically lost 3-5 hours each day carrying heavy buckets of water. This also resulted in girls dropping out of school to help their mothers fetch water.

Main Actions To improve people’s access to clean drinking water and enable storage within homes, ACF promoted and built low-cost RRWHS in the affected locations. In addition to raising awareness about the benefits of RRWHS, ACF provided financial and technical support to enable families to adopt the system. To create ownership of the installations, 70-80% of the cost is usually borne by the house owners, while ACF subsidizes the rest. Where governmental programs for more vulnerable sections of society exist, eligible families only have to contribute between 10-20% of the total cost.

Community Impact Starting in 2000 with the installation of 26 RRWHS, ACF has facilitated the construction of 6,413 RRWHS by June 2017. Overall, these installations have benefited about 50,000 people. In addition to improving the health and wellbeing of families, the availability of drinking water in the household allows women to spend more time on productive activities, increasing the families’ income. Moreover, girls’ attendance in schools increased, as they no longer need to help fetching water.

Fetching water is one of the primary duties of rural women.


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Each RRWHS consist of three basic elements: a collection area, in most cases the roof of a house or a building; a conveyance system, usually consisting of gutters or pipes that deliver rainwater falling on the rooftop to the storage vessels; and a storage tank, constructed of reinforced concrete with the size depending on the house’s water requirements.

External Partners ACF partnered with governmental agencies such as the Water & Sanitation Management Organization and Watershed Development as well as the private development agencies Tata Trust, Coastal Salinity Prevention Cell and Narotam Sakhseria Foundation. Knowledge partners include local academic and research institutes who have carried out technical trainings and supported with impact assessments.

A low-cost, low-maintenance solution for rural and urban areas Roof rainwater harvesting is the cheapest way of accessing potable water in remote areas, as the cost of RRWHS varies from INR 4-6 (USD 0.06-0.09) per liter depending on the availability of local material. The system can also be adopted in urban areas, where it saves the high costs for water purification treatment. The need for repairing and maintenance of RRWHS is low, as the systems usually pose no major operational challenges for the users. Only the periodic cleaning and replacement of pipes is required after 4-5 years. ACF has facilitated RRWHS construction for rural families with an average water storage capacity of 10,000-20,000 liters. Approximately 10,000-15,000 liters RRWHS is sufficient for a family of six for one year. For more information, visit www.ambujacementfoundation.org or contact [email protected].

Mother and son enjoying the benefits of rooftop rainwater stored in their house’s underground tank.

http://www.ambujacementfoundation.org/



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Ceremonial start of the construction works.

5 – Philippines: Barangay Ilang Resettlement Providing Housing in a Safer Place To help families in flood-prone areas live in more decent conditions, Holcim Philippines donated land and helped resettle a vulnerable community from the banks of Ilang River, in the City of Davao, to a safer place. In a Nutshell

Previous Situation More than 200 families of the Pag-asa IIang Home Owners Association used to live in informal settlements along the banks of Ilang River in Davao City, on the southern island of Mindanao. As the area is prone to flooding during the rainy season, the families struggled whenever water entered their houses, leaving almost everything destroyed. Given their poor living conditions and exposure to health risks and natural disasters, the government had identified them as a particularly vulnerable community.

Main Actions In September 2015, Holcim Philippines donated 3 hectares of land to the community to offer them a space where new and safer homes could be built. Holcim also took charge of the site development and the construction of a drainage system. With guidance of a city government architect, the future homeowners got to design their own houses. Holcim implemented the “galing mason program” to equip the beneficiaries with the necessary skills and knowledge to support the construction works, including carpentry, welding, electrical, concrete hollow block making and masonry. In a cash-for-work scheme paid by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the future residents then built their homes themselves. Community Impact In total, 200 families were able to build new houses on the donated land. The skills they acquired in the course of the construction works now provide them with an alternative source of employment and livelihood. External Partners The construction of housing units was funded by the DSWD. The City Social Services and Development Office (CSSDO) supported the beneficiaries during the resettlement process. Project monitoring and community engagement activities were administered by the government office and Holcim’s CSR team.

Houses along Ilang riverbank, where most of the families used to live.


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“Wherever our company operates, it’s our commitment to support projects that uplift the community. We saw that the families used to live in an area that becomes heavily flooded during rainy season. By backing this project, we hope to help improve their lives by providing them a safer place to live and equip them with new skills for additional livelihood options.” Zita Balogo, Holcim Davao Plant Manager in 2015

Turning the dream of a safe place to live into reality Four billion people around the world do not have access to decent housing, including 150 million in developed countries, and over 800 million live in slums. To address this need, LafargeHolcim is focusing on innovation to offer a range of affordable housing solutions to populations and governments, including microfinance, earth-cement building solutions, slum renovation and collective social housing.

Thanks to Holcim’s support in the resettlement project, the Pag-asa IIang Home Owners Association’s dream of a safe place to live became a reality. From the land donation in 2015 to the end of the construction works in 2017, the community members successfully transformed their settlement from a place of anxiety to a home that fosters good health and the dignity of living. At the moment, they are still progressing with the installation of water connections and the road construction works. Through organizational development and external partnerships with academic and non-government organizations, the community continues to grow and transform.

For more information, visit www.holcim.ph or contact [email protected].

With the help of Holcim Philippines and the DSWD, informal settlers rebuilt their homes in a safer place.



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6 – Malaysia: Upskilling our Masons In response to Malaysia’s growing demand for employment and the need for qualified labor in the construction sector, Lafarge Malaysia implemented a vocational training program for unskilled masons. It aims to enhance participants’ employability by improving both their technical skills and knowledge in health and safety.

In a Nutshell Previous Situation A large proportion of Malaysia’s construction workers are unskilled. As a result, the quality of work is often low, leading to rework and wastage. Furthermore, a low level of health and safety awareness among construction workers increases the hazards they face in their everyday work. Main Actions In 2014, Lafarge Malaysia launched a structured training program to upskill masons. Conducted at retail stores or at worksites, training sessions last one day and are free for all participants. The sessions include a theoretical and a practical part, where masons participate in hands-on wall plastering exercises. The training not only educates the masons in using the right products for the right application, but also addresses health and safety issues and encourages participants to be more vigilant on workplace hazards. After the training, printed materials are handed out to participants as future reference.

Community Impact Since the program started in 2014, Lafarge Malaysia has trained more than 2,000 masons. In 2016 alone, 528 people were trained. Through the Mason’s training program, construction workers are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to improve the quality of their work, enhance their employability and create a safer work environment.

External Partners To develop the training program, Lafarge Malaysia partnered with the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB), the government body that regulates, enforces and carries out other duties related to the construction industry. Since then, the program has been further expanded in collaboration with Lafarge’s retail partners. For more information, visit www.lafarge.com.my or contact [email protected].

A mason trying his hand at wall plastering.

http://www.lafarge.com.my/


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LafargeHolcim Ltd Zürcherstrasse 156 8645 Jona Switzerland www.lafargeholcim.com/sustainable-development [email protected] © 2017 LafargeHolcim Ltd

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