Schoolchildren at Boughton Leigh Junior School in Rugby, central England, recently helped launch CEMEX's new educational programme, A Circular World.
Community engagement is an important part of CEMEX's dedicated sustainability strategy, Future in Action.
Around 30 Year 5 children took part in the opening programme session, where they split into small groups to complete the programme, with prizes awarded to the winners.
Additionally, Mark Pawsey, MP for Rugby, attended the event and spoke to the children about the importance of protecting the environment and understanding our individual responsibility to reduce climate change.
A video from Ian Courts, leader of Solihull Borough Council and portfolio holder for Environment at the West Midlands Combined Authority, was also shown during the session. Courts encouraged the children to consider the waste that is created every day and the opportunities the circular economy can present to reduce this.
Rugby is the location of CEMEX's main UK cement plant, which has been part of the town since the 19th Century. CEMEX strives to be a positive member of the local community and works closely with several schools and groups.
Chiedza Mupfumira, social impact specialist for CEMEX UK, commented: "It's vital that we encourage our children and young people to understand the challenges we face as a result of climate change and empower them to protect the world of the future.
"We were very impressed by the enthusiasm and attentiveness of the children – they easily grasped the concept of a circular economy and how it can benefit us all. We would like to extend a big thank you to Boughton Leigh Junior School, in particular Mr Gaskell, who supported us on the day and all the children who participated."
Mark Pawsey MP said: "The interest our young people have in protecting the environment is always very clear, and the pupils at Boughton Leigh Junior School were no exception. I was delighted to be able to talk to them about the role which both the government, local businesses and individuals have to play in reusing, reducing and recycling, and CEMEX's new online learning tools and their game is a great way to engage with kids about building a circular economy. We all need to do more to help the environment, and it was really positive to see both the next generation and one of Rugby's leading businesses working together to do so."
Paula Duynstee, headteacher at Boughton Leigh Junior School, added: "The children and staff of Boughton Leigh Junior School were very proud to be invited to take part in this initiative from CEMEX. Having been supported on numerous occasions by their community programme, we thought that it would be a well thought out and worthwhile endeavour, which it was. The children (and staff) were all very excited by the event and enjoyed taking part immensely. We are very proud of our school and the wider experiences and work ethic we offer, so to engage with the wider workforce was an amazing experience for the children and one of which we will gladly take part again."
Councillor Ian Courts, leader of Solihull Borough Council, and portfolio holder for Environment at the West Midlands Combined Authority, said: "I was happy to send over a video to support CEMEX's work with children to highlight the issue of climate change and how they see the circular economy as a way to minimise waste. The issue here is the increasing scarcity of natural resources and how a tiny fraction actually get reused. We need to reduce our waste and adapt to reuse our materials wherever we can. Our young people can help us create a circular economy as they build their careers and live their lives.
"It's also important that businesses get involved in this work by signing up to the net zero pledge and by helping to educate our children, and the wider public, on how we can all play a part in tackling climate change. I hope the pupils at Boughton Leigh Junior School enjoyed the session and look for to many more children getting a chance to understand how using the ideas of a circular economy can help us all tackle climate change."
CEMEX's A Circular World education programme features a fictional team of young people across the globe who need the help of participants to solve different environmental problems. It aims to help children better understand and contribute more to sustainable development, through the transition to the Circular Economy and by promoting a responsible and sustainable lifestyle.
The program is free for all to access and uses a multitude of resources to practically understand and address the major sustainability-related challenges facing our society. It is the latest development announced by CEMEX as part of its Future in Action tackling global climate change strategy.
To access the programme, visit: https://www.cemex.co.uk/cemex-and-the-circular-economy
