Holcim Canada celebrates over 3500 acts of employee volunteerism

Throughout 2012, Holcim Canada employees rally to give back to the community through the global Together for Communities initiative

MONTREAL, Dec. 5, 2012 /CNW/ - Holcim (Canada) Inc., a leading supplier of building materials and construction services, celebrates the success of its Together for Communities (TFC) employee volunteer initiative through a series of special photo exhibition events documenting the year-long initiative. As part of a larger global movement in honour of parent company Holcim Ltd's centennial in 2012, the initiative encouraged all 3000 Holcim Canada employees to give back to the communities where they live and work. Throughout the year, employees captured images of their volunteer acts, the engaging results of which form the content of the photo exhibitions, culminating in a special event today, to coincide with International Volunteer Day 2012.

Today, in Montreal, Quebec, employees from Holcim Canada operations in Quebec and the Atlantic Provinces, including Demix Agrégats, Demix Béton and Demix Construction, will be attending a private reception at La TOHU Performance Centre.  On display will be images taken by Holcim Canada employees of their experiences participating in the Together for Communities initiative. The internationally-acclaimed Voxapella Choir - volunteers themselves - will also give a performance. In addition to community stakeholders, the event will be attended by executive and senior Holcim Canada management, as they honour employees of the company that contributed to the initiative.  Over the course of the year, Holcim's Quebec and Atlantic region engaged with over 90 different organizations, which benefited from the TFC initiative.

Nancy Gagnon, Manager of Maison Jacques Ferron, a shelter for people with serious mental health difficulties, says "We are very lucky and spoiled to benefit from the extraordinary generosity and precious help of Holcim Canada's employees. With the Together for Communities initiative this year, Holcim Canada employees have volunteered for more than 1000 hours to help us renovate the center. We are really thankful."

Holcim Canada and its Ontario divisions, Dufferin Aggregates, Dufferin Concrete and Dufferin Construction, along with employees, local business partners, elected officials and other community stakeholders attended a special reception at the Holcim Gallery, Milton Centre for the Arts, on November 29.  The event was the culmination of a three day public photo exhibit held in honour of contributions from employees, their family and friends to the Together for Communities initiative that featured scenes from over 3500 Holcim Canada employee volunteer acts.  In attendance were several of the community organizations and municipalities that supported and benefited from the TFC initiative.

"It is extremely important to have committed partners in the community—the kind that you can count on to pitch in for a local Habitat for Humanity build, join volunteer committees, support local families in need," says Stewart Hardacre, President and CEO, Habitat for Humanity Canada. "By adding volunteerism to their corporate giving program, Holcim Canada is providing its employees and partners in the Together for Communities initiative a very personal experience - a chance to see first-hand the value of their contributions and the difference it can make."

"I am extremely proud of the efforts of our employees, to give of their time, and for being committed to giving back to the communities where we operate. I want to thank our various partners in the community who supported this initiative and helped us achieve such great things this year and look forward to continuing to work with them for many years to come, to find even more ways that we can contribute to building healthy, vibrant and liveable communities," said Paul Ostrander, President & CEO, Holcim Canada.

About Together for Communities:

In 2012, Holcim is celebrating 100 years of strength, performance and passion. By volunteering in their communities, Holcim employees are celebrating the Centennial in a special way. Even though each activity is driven by local needs, the initiative is a global one - and runs under a global header: Together for Communities.

This initiative is a perfect complement to Holcim Canada's existing corporate social responsibility program, and an excellent opportunity to engage its employees, neighbours and stakeholders in a partnership to make a major contribution in the communities where Holcim Canada operates.

For more information on this initiative, please visit www.holcim.ca

About Holcim (Canada) Inc.

Holcim (Canada) Inc. is one of the country's largest vertically integrated building materials and construction companies. With 3,000 employees, Holcim Canada manufactures cement, aggregates and ready-mix concrete and provides construction services to many of Canada's largest infrastructure projects. It has a portfolio of brands, including Dufferin in Ontario and Demix in Quebec.

Holcim Canada is a member of Holcim Group, a Swiss-based multinational with operations in more than 70 countries worldwide. A leading global brand, Holcim (VTX: HOLN.VX) is recognized for its long-term financial performance, its environmental leadership, corporate social responsibility and sustainable construction.

For more information, please visit: www.holcim.ca
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SOURCE: Holcim Canada Inc.