Cemex celebrated its 25-year commitment to the protection and preservation of the planet’s biodiversity with the release of “Back from the Brink: 25 Conservation Success Stories,” the 25th volume in its Nature Book Series. The book highlights the remarkable resolve of innumerable people and institutions to save the ever-rising numbers of threatened species.
“More than 20 years ago, Cemex rose as an industry pioneer by spreading the culture of conservation, a commitment that we maintain every day by integrating sustainability in all aspects of our business,” said Fernando A. Gonzalez, CEO of Cemex. “We celebrate the results of these efforts and thank the world’s main conservation NGOs for their constant collaboration in materializing the need to protect our planet.”
One of Cemex’s most recognized initiatives is the company’s annual publication of volumes from its Nature Book Series, a more than two-decade tradition dating from 1993. Written with the support of conservation NGOs and renowned scientists and illustrated with the vision of celebrated photojournalists, these books are an important endeavor designed to foster actions that benefit the planet and its ecosystems, the company said.
The volumes from the series have influenced protective measures for global hotspots – the most biodiversity-rich and threatened ecoregions on the planet. Cemex’s vision to highlight the importance of these regions contributed to the creation of conservation centers in Mexico, Brazil, Guyana, the Tropical Andes, Melanesia and Madagascar, together with the creation of a global conservation fund to designate new protected natural areas in priority sites.
Cemex has been honored to work with more than 20 conservation NGOs in the 25-year history of the Cemex Nature Series, including BirdLife International, Conservation International, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), The Wild Foundation, and Wildlife Conservation Society, among others.
Additionally, renowned conservation figures have participated in the development of the books, such as Russell A. Mittermeier, current chief conservation officer of Global Wildlife Conservation and former president of Conservation International.
Named a “Hero for the Planet” by TIME magazine, Mittermeier said, “The Cemex book series on nature and conservation, now celebrating its 25th volume, has been historic in its impact. The series has covered many of the most important and most current conservation themes of our generation, ranging from biodiversity hotspots, wilderness, and megadiversity countries to fresh water, oceans, and climate change, and has involved as contributors many of the world’s leading experts on these issues. Thanks to the generosity of Cemex, these books have been widely available, and indeed can be found in the offices of heads-of-state, ministers, business leaders, and celebrities around the world. It has been an honor and a privilege to have contributed to 13 of the 25 volumes, and I hope to see this very valuable contribution to conservation and corporate social responsibility continue into the future.”
