Holcim and Aggregate Industries US, a Holcim Group Company, celebrated the centennial anniversary of their parent company, Holcim Ltd in 2012. To mark the milestone, the company launched Together for Communities, an initiative in which employees led local volunteer projects. Together for Communities built on the Holcim mission and extends the values that are essential to creating the highest quality products.

Over the course of the year employees contributed more than 34,600 volunteer hours through a variety of projects. A combined 4,194 employees completed 263 projects.

"The Centennial provided an excellent opportunity to celebrate Holcim's values of strength, performance and passion," said Filiberto Ruiz, president and chief executive officer. "I am extremely proud of our team for the initiative they took in planning and executing each project. Positively engaging with the communities in which we operate has always been a cornerstone of Holcim's mission and I am eager to see these relationships continue to grow."

Holcim (US) employees volunteered more than 17,800 hours of time and participated in 134 projects. Many projects focused on needs specific to the plants' locations such as the United Way Day of Caring, Washington County's Homeless Resource Day and work at local food pantries. Other activities focused on the environment, including work with the Pathfinder Regional Park, the Mississippi River Clean Up, Antietam Creek Rubbish Roundup and the Million Trees project.

Aggregate Industries US employees contributed more than 16,800 hours of service to 129 projects. Many projects focused on education within the community like Touch-a-Truck events, Quarry Tours and the ongoing relationship forged with The Blind Center in Las Vegas. Other endeavors targeted sustainability concerns, including work with the Michigan State Parks in Allegan and Berry County, cleaning up the Anacostia River and revitalising the Peabody Independence Greenway.

Sustainable development and community engagement have been central to Holcim's business philosophy since its foundation. As a result of Together for Communities, both Holcim (US) and Aggregate Industries US forged stronger relationships with local communities which provided opportunities for continued collaboration.