CEMEX partners with Unilever for TSEK Clean Community Program

Building sustainable development in communities is a responsible company’s license to operate and this is a priority for both CEMEX Holdings Philippines and Unilever Philippines in their similar goal to make a significant difference and contribution to Filipinos’ economic, social, and environmental growth.

Value for corporate social responsibility underpinned the forging of partnership between the two companies when they recently inked a Memorandum of Understanding for the intensified implementation of TSEK or Tamang Segregasyon para sa Kalikasan which is a solid waste management program initiated by CEMEX Philippines Foundation.

The TSEK clean community program is driven by a multi-stakeholder collaboration to promote proper waste segregation and proper disposal of residual waste through co-processing, implemented through an Information, Education and Communication (IEC) campaign.

Through the “Basuraffle”, households are encouraged to surrender properly segregated wastes to their municipality, where for every kilo of dry plastic wastes, community resident participants are given a raffle coupon. Raffle items, which will now include Unilever products, are awarded during the raffle draws held every last Friday of the month. Unilever will also coordinate with affiliated stores to help in the information dissemination of TSEK, and haul and deliver segregated plastic wastes collected from partner local government units to the CEMEX Solid Cement Plant in Rizal for co-processing.

Unilever Philippines CEO and Chairman Benjie Yap and CEMEX Philippines President and CEO Ignacio Mijares led the signing of MOU with leaders from both companies as witnesses. Also gracing the event as guest of honor was the National Commissioner for Solid Waste Management, Crispian Ng Lao.

“Our CSR efforts focus on the Environment, Community and Education. A program like TSEK is a great example of how we can achieve a sustainable community by impacting behavior change among the members,” Mijares said.

“Our products are present in 99% of Filipino households. We have a 2025 vision, which is to have 100% of our packaging to be recyclable, reusable, and compostable, and it is with a partnership like this one with CEMEX that we are able to start realizing that vision,” Yap shared.

For his part, Lao reiterated the strength of multi-stakeholder collaboration for nation-building, where environment and health play crucial parts in sustainable development. “Collaboration between companies, together with government and non-government organizations, are key actions that will pave way for a better and cleaner Philippines for the future,” Lao said.

A green environment is a focus area in CEMEX’s “Build the Nation Together” umbrella Corporate Social Responsibility program whose advocacies are dedicated to uplift lives, communities, and Mother Earth.

The TSEK or Tamang Segregasyon para sa Kalikasan program is an initiative under “Build the Environment”. TSEK was first rolled out in the towns of Baras, Cardona, Morong, and Tanay in Rizal. CEMEX continues to tap more partners to ensure a more extensive implementation of the clean community program.

CEMEX has a rich history of improving the welfare of those it serves through innovative building solutions, efficiency advancements, and efforts to promote a sustainable future in more than 50 countries worldwide. In the Philippines, CEMEX subsidiaries Solid Cement Corporation in Rizal and Apo Cement Corporation in Cebu carry the well-established cement brands Rizal and Apo.