Cement Industry Releases First Results of its Sustainability Agenda for Action.

NAGOYA, Japan -- One of the largest global sustainability programs ever undertaken by a single industry sector, the Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI), released its first progress report today, three years after making its Agenda for Action public.

Representing more than half the world's cement production outside China, the CSI report documents the delivery of pledges made in 2002, in particular in CO2 emissions, the use of fuels and raw materials and occupational health and safety. Probably the most significant is the production of an protocol for measuring and reporting CO2 emissions from cement manufacturing, the first time an industry has adopted a voluntary and independently audited emissions protocol.

Dr Mostafa Tolba, President of the International Centre for Environment and Development (ICED) and Former Director of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), comments "The CSI represents a serious effort by an important industry sector to tackle complex sustainability issues in a practical, results oriented way. Using a common set of key performance indicators, which address both business and stakeholder concerns, while requiring public reporting of individual company achievements is a major step forward in providing an important level of accountability for a voluntary program."

As well as individual actions undertaken by members of the CSI, other projects common to the member companies include:

--A common emissions monitoring and reporting protocol for nitrogen oxides, sulfur compounds and particulates;

--A set of safety metrics that enables companies and plants to report accurately and consistently on health and safety issues;

--Guidelines for the use of fuels and raw materials; and

--An environmental and social impact process enabling companies and communities to work together during the development, operation and closure of a cement facility.

The CEOs of the current member companies issued a joint statement at the launch of the Report in Japan on 7th June. "We are proud of this report, in a sense more proud of this than the Agenda for Action, as that was a list of promises. What we are able to do today is report the results of the first steps towards making the cement industry more sustainable, now and into the future," they said.

Notes for Editors

1. The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) is a coalition of 175 international companies from over 30 countries united by a shared commitment to sustainable development via the three pillars of economic growth, ecological balance and social progress.

2. The Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI) was formed in 1999, in cooperation with the WBCSD. The Interim Progress Report documents achievements, measurement of progress (using key performance indicators), and list partners, including WWF, WRI, the IFC, the GRI, UNEP and the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratories. For more information and a copy of the CSI's Interim Progress Report visit www.wbcsdcement.org.

3. The 16 cement companies that form the CSI are: Ash Grove Cement (USA), Cemex (Mexico)*, Cimpor (Portugal)*, CRH (Ireland), Gujarat Ambuja (India), HeidelbergCement (German)*, Holcim (Switzerland)*, Italcementi (Italy)*, Lafarge (France)*, Secil (Portugal), Shree Cement (India), Siam Cement (Thailand)*, Taiheiyo Cement (Japan)*, Titan (Greece), Uniland (Spain) and Votorantim (Brazil)*. (*Denotes founding member (also RMC Group plc, since acquired by Cemex))

4. All Media enquires please contact Graham Sprigg, IMS Marketing Communications Group plc, E: [e-mail], T: [phone]