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Open Doors to Sustainable Development
"We strongly believe that the long term success of our business depends on our ability to meet the growing expectations of our stakeholders in terms of wealth creation, protection of ecosystems and assurance of healthy and prosperous lives for human beings. In short satisfy present-day needs safeguarding the requirements of future generations." -- Carlo Pesenti, Italcementi Group Chief Executive Officer

Sustainable development, understood as the proper balance between the creation of business, environmental protection, and responsibility toward society, is the indispensable basis for providing future growth potential in any business environment. A strategy which Italcementi Group -- especially in view of its location in 19 countries around the world -- has made an integral part of its development plans, with its commitment to guaranteeing responsible social behavior by its subsidiaries and staff. In 2000, the Group became a member of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), and in July 2002 signed up to the "Agenda for Action" of the "Cement Sustainability Initiative," the first formal commitment to bind some of the largest cement companies in the world to a five-year action plan aimed at sustainable development.

Italcementi Group takes particular care of Social Development and Responsibility by:

• ensuring workplace health and safety. By 2000, the Group formalised its own Safety Policy, which included the guidelines and principles laid out in the"Zero Accidents" Project. That proactive plan consists in an important training and communication campaign, the drafting of organisational plans and the nomination of a dedicated "safety team". After the Project implementation in all countries, the accident frequency index was seen to decline drastically: during 2000-2004, it fell by as much as 61% throughout the Group, and by 66% in the cement production working environment.
• dealing with local communities. Various types of initiatives, such as "Open Doors" days, sponsorship for social and cultural relevant events and training programs have been implemented to encourage constructive relationships with local communities and share of information and concerns in order to build a long term sense of community based on mutual respect and constructive co-operation.

All Italcementi Group activities in Greece are acting fully in line with the "Corporate Social Responsibility Policy" of the Group world-wide and are among the most efficient in transferring these values in their day-to-day operations.

Operating in a social ambiance, the Group is inextricably linked to it and owes to recognise the responsibility it carries vis-a-vis the society and the environment. The above-mentioned policy it is not simply inscribed in the framework of the ethical and social values governing our activities; it has become a day-to-day "Corporate Governance practice" in our operations.  

As members of the Hellenic Network for Corporate Social Responsibility, we implement our guidelines and our philosophy via actions ranging between simple donations up to economic support for charity and non-profit organisations, responding, responding to the appropriate demands evidencing our social support and responsibility vis-a-vis the Greek society.

Some of Italcementi Group's activities in Greece
"Good Practices" and "success stories" relative to that policy are for instance:

• The sponsorship of an Athlete enabling him to participate to the Paralympic Games.
• Participation in batteries and paper recycling in co-operation with local schools and training of students on recycling issues in co-operation with AFI and the European Recycling Centre. 
• Support for the Therapeutic Riding Organisation
• Sponsorships and Donations to various sports associations of the local communities
• Participation in the events of Children's Hospital
• Support to destitute families and Special Schools for disabled individuals
• Direct support to all Local Schools (economic contribution, granting of materials, educational visits at our plants, etc.)
• Practices for students and supply of materials for Universities investigation, etc.
• Reforestation initiatives, trees planting operations and the regeneration of parks

We believe in growth with a human face, and we attache great importance to share our overall social responsibilities to the profit of the communities and more widely to the one of the society concerned by our activities and plants operations.