Tamuín "Caliza y Arcilla" (México)

About the Program
Cemex'sTamuín "Caliza y Arcilla" y Valles "El Abra" in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, observes a corporate-level commitment to promoting environmental sustainability and biodiversity. Cemex Tamuin is located in a region dominated by grasslands agricultural operations. The team is working to improve habitat for local flora and fauna and to contribute to large-scale monitoring initiatives via the iNaturalist tool. To this end, the team hosts several educational events centered around a pollinator garden. Since 2016, Cemex has engaged local high school and college students in the Programa de Restauración Ambiental Comunitaria (PRAC) initiative, a multi-step program allowing participants to identify a local environmental issue and develop a response. This project places a strong emphasis on community awareness and responsibility for the environment. 

Practices and Impacts

• The PRAC program brings together schools, environmental specialists, government, NGOs, the private sector and the larger community. Approximately 53 students participate 176 hours per year in multiple events. The program includes weekly trainings in conservation topics as well as large-scale monitoring initiatives and restoration projects. The program evaluates environmental awareness, attitudes and how these change before and after events.
• Through PRAC, Cemex facilitates the creation of pollinator gardens throughout the municipality. The team works with schools and community members to select biodiverse plant species and ideal areas to create the gardens, which also serve as areas for environmental education. The PRAC participants maintain the gardens alongside Cemex employee volunteers and conduct monthly monitoring.