Cement as part of concrete, the fundamental building material, is a part of the world around us – it is everywhere we live. It is in the roads we travel on, the pavements we walk on, the buildings we work in and the schools our children attend.
Besides the benefits for infrastructure, residential buildings or architecture, we also endeavour to minimize the negative impact of the cement industry.
ZVC SR members represent an important partner for the local communities in which they operate. Many of them have been part of them for decades. Považská cementáreň a. s. Ladce is the oldest cement plant in Slovakia and for over 130 years, generations of Ladce cement workers have been producing top-quality cements that improve the quality of life of residents not only in Slovakia. Danucem Slovensko has brought such a significant impetus to local communities that the village of Rohožník, where one of its cement plants is located, has almost doubled its population since the cement plant was founded in 1975 and, through the community program Our Rohožník, has been contributing to the further improvement of the village in the long term.
Cement as a building material is the heart of concrete, which is undoubtedly the material of the future. In cooperation with experts, we work on raising the awareness about the ecological and sustainable advantages of this building material. Our members support various activities focusing on cooperation with well-known architects and university students, and also work on raising the interest in building material production careers among high school students. Our members are partners of distinguished, prestigious events focusing on the support of quality and sustainable architecture such as CE-ZA-AR or the ARCH Prize. Another type of activities which contribute towards raising the awareness about the quality of Slovak cement are professional forums where the representatives of our member companies regularly participate as lecturers or speakers. Považská cementáreň Ladce has been the main partner for the regular meetings of leaders of the Slovak building companies for several years. Representatives of the member companies are invited as experts to regular autumn concrete producers’ days, which is an event organised by the association of Slovak transport-concrete producers.
The endeavour of our members is to be not only a substantial employer in the regions where we operate but also to embody a trustworthy local partner that strives to have an open and constructive dialogue with its external and internal partners. We try to continuously develop relationships with state authorities, local municipalities and the public and we want to be a good neighbour and caring employer. Via the activities and funds of our members, such as the grant programme Náš Rohožník, the Green education fund, the CEMMAC fund or the Cementár training centre, our association focuses mainly on support of educational, cultural and sports activities for its employees. The association also supports local projects which create appropriate conditions for the development of children and youth, including socially disadvantaged groups, brings changes to the educational process while contributing towards active environmental protection, safety or other types of projects for community development.
Besides systematic transparent support via grant programmes and funds, the cement plants also support the surrounding villages directly, for example, by building a multi-sport centre with a tennis centre or a football stadium. Building material from the cement plants has been used for the modernisation of elementary schools, preschools, pavements or community cultural centres. Positive feedback was received after the building of a pilgrimage site in the quarry of the cement plant on a hill called Butkov, which was created by the cement plant in Ladce with the support of the AGAPA foundation. It is an original artwork that represents timeless values. Helping the communities where the companies operate is one of their fundamental principles.
The reliability and stability criteria of ZVC SR members are supported by audits of quality management systems according to the latest ISO standards. By using progressive technologies in the field of alternative fuels and eco-technologies, our cement plants contribute to environmental protection.
ZVC SR members significantly participate in the recovery of non-recyclable waste in the form of alternative fuels, which brings not only material and energy savings. In this way, a significant amount of waste is diverted from potential landfilling. ZVC SR is supporting Slovakia's goal of reducing the amount of landfilled waste to below 10% of the total amount. Another great positive is the waste-free technology for the recovery of alternative fuels.
