We believe that Portland Cement Malawi will succeed in the long term only if our actions respect the common interest of present and future generations. This means we must not only comply with the laws but also conduct our businesses consistent with sustainable development principles. At the same time, we must take into account the views and opinions of our local and global stakeholders. We are committed to the protection of the environment, human health and well-being, to the mitigation of climate change and the conservation of nature. Our objective is to ensure the continued improvement of our environmental performance. We aim to use energy and natural resources more efficiently, minimize the production of waste, harmful air emissions, and water discharges while seeking ways to preserve heritage, landscape and biological diversity. 

In order to implement this policy, Portland Cement Malawi commits to:

Commitments

Operations

1. Operate our facilities in a manner that meets local laws, standards and regulations and state of the art environmental management systems requirements.
2. Minimize the exposure of our employees and the communities around our sites to environmental, health and safety risks by employing safe technologies and operating procedures.
3. Minimize the use of non-renewable resources and, where feasible and safe, replace them with substitute raw materials, alternative fuels or biomass.
4. Minimize the generation of hazardous and other wastes, reuse and recycle materials where feasible and dispose of wastes using safe and responsible methods.
5. Implement programs to prevent accidental releases; have emergency response action programs in all sites.
6. Conduct environmental audits for all facilities on a routine schedule and in connection with all acquisitions and divestments.
7. Develop a rehabilitation plan for all quarry sites that takes account of the needs and expectations of our stakeholders and, where feasible, fosters wildlife habitat creation and contributes to the conservation of endangered species.

Greenfield site development and major modification projects

1. Carry out an environmental impacts study when selecting greenfield sites for development or developing major modification projects, and meet the requirements resulting from being in close proximity to protected areas or habitats.
2. Design and build our facilities in a manner that meets local laws, standards and regulations as well as Huaxin’s environmental standards.
3. Facilitate the conservation of historical remains discovered during site development and quarry operations.

Resources, training and research

1. Provide adequate financial and human resources, employee training and awareness raising to facilitate continuous improvement in environmental performance.
2. Take the necessary steps, including sponsoring research, to improve our knowledge of the environmental impacts of our processes and products.

Procurement

1. Evaluate the environmental values and policies of subcontractor and supplier candidates as part of the selection process.
2. Require our subcontractors and suppliers to respect our environment, health and safety values and comply with our policies and procedures when present on our premises.

Product stewardship

1. Implement sustainability and product stewardship practices in the design,manufacturing, distribution and application of our products to enhance their contribution to sustainable construction, minimize their impact on human health and the environment, and limit the number of wastes generated and disposed of.

Stakeholder relations

2. Provide our stakeholders routinely with environmental information about our operations and products in an open manner. We will solicit their feedback and encourage a candid dialogue. We will hold ourselves accountable to our stakeholders for our actions.
3. Cooperate pro-actively with legislators and regulators to evaluate the feasibility, impact, and cost/benefit of proposed laws, regulations and standards.