Cemex announced that the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) granted Gold Certification for the company’s Las Salinas and Laguna Cabral Biodiversity Action Plan in the Dominican Republic. The project is led by Cemex in collaboration with Grupo Jaragua and Birdlife International.
“We are proud to receive Gold Conservation Certification from the WHC. This recognition reflects our successful sustainability efforts in the country and fosters our commitment to embed sustainability in every aspect of our operations,” said Alejandro Ramirez, president of Cemex in the Dominican Republic.
The Biodiversity Action Plan was created five years ago in collaboration with Birdlife International and Grupo Jaragua to mitigate past or present environmental impacts and involve local communities in environmental conservation by playing the role of environmental guardians. Conservation efforts include helping to safeguard two endangered species, the Rhinoceros Iguana (the largest endemic vertebrate in the area) and the jicotea (Hispaniolan Slider Turtle); protecting Laguna Cabral, a BirdLife Important Bird and Biodiversity Area and Ramsar Site; and restoring Lemba River’s native riverbank vegetation.
“Our collaborative project will not only guide Cemex quarry restoration efforts in the future, but has provided a lifeline for two critical species threatened with local extinction. We are thrilled that our team effort has been awarded the highest recognition by the WHC,” said Yolanda León, president of Grupo Jaragua.
“Thanks to the specific efforts of its habitat conservation program, Cemex has complied and exceeded the criteria for the promotion of wildlife quality. This accomplishment recognizes the Dominican Republic’s and Cemex’s commitment to conservation,” commented Emily Voldstad, director of conservation certification and technology at the WHC.
