Cementing solid relationships with Green Island Cement’s stakeholders

Green Island Cement sought to rally their staff on a common vision. They also wanted to address expectations of external stakeholders by communicating their efforts as a responsible cementing business with their sustainability report.

Challenge

Founded in 1887 at Tsing Chau (Green Island) in Macau, Green Island Cement Company Limited has grown to become Hong Kong’s leading manufacturer and distributor of cement and cement-based products.

In 2017, Green Island Cement (GIC) recognised the need to strengthen its commitment to sustainability. With the cement and construction sector facing increasing public demand for higher accountability on its negative environmental impacts, GIC sought to protect its reputation and establish themselves as a responsible brand and employer. GIC aimed to shape a narrative around addressing the environmental concerns by communicating their efforts in carbon footprint reduction.

They sought to do this by documenting voluntarily, celebrating its sustainability successes to date and improving internal and external stakeholders’ understanding of the positive impacts GIC has made through its innovative approaches to cement production and aggregate development.

Solution

The Purpose Business was engaged to conduct stakeholder engagement exercises to deepen the understanding of the sustainability issues material to GIC through internal workshops, one-on-one interviews and online surveys. Insights from the stakeholder engagement were used to tell stories of GIC’s 130 years of legacy and demonstrate its aspirations towards becoming a responsible cementing business.

These stories, together with the company’s progress and data performance to date, were included in its first biannual sustainability report published in 2017. With the help of The Purpose Business, GIC continued this responsible practice and remains transparent in communicating its progress with the release of its second sustainability report in 2020.

Impact

Through this reporting process, GIC aligned with middle management teams to better understand their roles and take ownership in achieving its united vision of “working together to build a green island.” The stakeholder engagement empowered employees to contribute ideas on how GIC can further innovate to manage its environmental impact with responsible production practices while also attracting new talent. GIC’s biannual sustainability reports also became an effective tool for the company to communicate its sustainability approach with external stakeholders and rebuild trust.