INSEE Group signs MOU with IUCN to enrich biodiversity in Asian quarries

From Left: Wilailak Suraphruk, , Indo-Burma Group of IUC Head Jake Brunner, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Deputy Asia Regional Director Dr.TP Singh, Siam City Cement Public Company Limited (SCCC) Chairman of the Board of Directors Paul Heinz Hugentobler; SCCC Director and CEO Siva Mahasandana, , Chip Mong INSEE Cement Corporation CEO Aidan Lynam and Phatchada Muenthong

To enrich and further strengthen its on-going eco-friendly stance in the Asian region, Siam City Cement City Group, its fully-owned subsidiary known in Sri Lanka as INSEE Cement, entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) recently. 

The MOU signed at the Siam City Cement Headquarters in Bangkok sealed a three-year partnership that aims to protect limestone hills in the group’s quarrying sites in Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam. The ultimate goal of the partnership is to turn the limestone quarrying sites into forests through rehabilitation programs. IUCN’s mission is to influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature.  The organisation founded in 1948 under the auspices of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has a network of members in government agencies, international and national non-governmental organisations and affiliates.  

In Sri Lanka, the MOU will strengthen INSEE Cement’s capacity to rescue and release threatened wildlife, prepare mine restoration guidelines and carry out annual ecological monitoring of restored mines in INSEE Cement’s quarry sites in Aruwakkalu and Puttalam.   

CEO of INSEE Cement Sri Lanka, Nandana Ekanayake said “The Group’s initiative has been acknowledged and appreciated by our Chairman, Mr Paul Heinz Hugentobler, a renowned strong supporter of biodiversity conservation and management, who commented that Siam City Cement Group is committed to protect the planet earth by being the responsible industry leader in biodiversity management and conservation in the Asian region. We are pleased to be an integral part of this endeavour. In Sri Lanka we are working with IUCN-SL since 2007 to ensure conservation in quarry sites, as the partnership is focused on delivering practical solutions which protects Sri Lankan ecosystem. We take pride in meeting the expectations of our local stakeholders and join hands with our Group and OpCo’s on the dedicated commitment to enhance forestry and quarry management in Asia.”   

The MOU was signed by the Chairman Paul Heinz Hugentobler, CEO Siva Mahasandana, and Chip Mong INSEE Cement Corporation CEO Aiden Lynam on behalf of Siam City Cement Group and Indo-Burma Group of IUCN Head Jake Brunner.  The occasion was also attended by Phatchada Muenthong and Wilailak Suraphruk from IUCN.