Cemex announced that it has been included in the Fortune 2017 Change the World List, a ranking that highlights 50 companies worldwide that have had a positive social impact through activities that are part of their core business strategy. With its inclusion in Fortune’s 2015 list, this marks the second time that Cemex was recognised among the world’s top 20 companies in this ranking.

Fortune recognised Cemex's efforts to foster sustainable building practices by highlighting the company’s “Growing” platform, which encompasses Cemex's social and inclusive businesses such as Construyo Contigo (Building Together), ConstruApoyo, Yo Construyo (I Build), and Clean Cookstoves. Through these diverse, innovative solutions, Cemex's “Growing” platform goes beyond self-construction businesses to fight poverty, low-quality education, unhealthy homes, unemployment, lack of capabilities, poor access to financial aid and lack of civic participation. By 2016 these platforms had provided affordable and dignified housing to over 3m people in Latin America. Cemex is committed to continue creating shared value through social innovation, by creating and strengthening its alliances with think tanks, the private sector, universities, NGOs, and community partners.

“We are once again honoured by Fortune’s recognition of our effort and commitment to foster global, sustainable building practices,” said Fernando A Gonzalez, CEO of Cemex. “The ‘Growing’ platform has enabled us to work across our value chain with governments, micro-finance entities, low-income communities, and social entrepreneurs to build over 4Mm2 of livable space.”

Fortune assembled the 2017 Change the World List with the help of the non-profit social impact consulting firm FSG and its Shared Value Initiative organisation. To select the 50 companies, Fortune considered three criteria: measurable social impact, the business result in terms of profitability of the socially impactful work, and degree of innovation.