Lafarge Cement Zambia has joined the Health and Safety Excellence Club, becoming the first African country to belong to such an international prestigious club.



During the induction ceremony of Lafarge Cement Zambia into the Lafarge Health and Safety Excellence Club in Chilanga on Monday, acting commerce minister Catherine Namugala said joining the development acknowledged and prioritised employee safety as a prerequisite for good corporate performance.



“We are truly proud of Lafarge Zambia and especially that it is the first African country to belong to such a club,” she said.

Namugala said apart from ensuring employee safety, Lafarge International was also committed to finding solutions to the environmental challenges at the international level by committing itself to reducing its gas emissions and thereby helping to deal with the challenge of climate change and contributing to sustainable development.



“I am also aware that Lafarge International is actively involved with the other partners in contribution to the conservation of the world’s biodiversity which is threatened by the rapid human population growth and other factors,” she said.

“As government, we urge all corporate entities to take interest in the issues of environmental protection in order to ensure sustainability.”



Namugala said government was happy with its business relationship with the private sector in general and was committed to continuously refine its processes in order to ensure a good environment for business growth.



“We therefore are committed to a private sector driven economy for poverty reduction and are determined to provide a conducive environment in which the private sector can thrive,” said Namugala.