On May 11, 2015, the 10th International Concrete Sustainability Conference kicked off in Miami, Florida. CEMEX USA Vice President of Human Resources for the Florida region Mónica Manolas and CEMEX Colombia Human Resources Director Amparo Bocanegra presented at the “Social Perspective for Women in Construction” panel during the women’s forum hosted by the Women in Concrete Alliance.

Even though construction can be perceived as a male-only industry, there are actually records of women working on construction projects in Navarre, Spain as early as the 13th century. In the present-day United States, construction is an excellent industry for capable women to consider for a fulfilling career. According to Forbes magazine, women out-earn men in construction jobs, with female laborers and construction supervisors earning slightly above the median earnings for both sexes and female engineers earning, on average, more than male engineers in the same sector.

Beyond the benefits women can receive from working at a company like CEMEX, there are benefits for the industry as well. “Statistics show that women in the workforce actually make the industry safer,” said Manolas, “The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) reports that sites where women are present are more likely to have better safety records, and less severe incidents, than male-only locations.”

Bocanegra added that any country that seeks to be socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable cannot disregard half of the potential workforce. In many Latin American countries women represent a significantly smaller percentage of the workforce, but at CEMEX we aim to foster diversity, including gender diversity. Initiatives like Colombia’s “Madre CEMEX” program and policies that include flexible hours were created with that goal in mind. Through our employee, family, and community programs we are focusing on creating more development opportunities in all the regions where we operate. In Poland, to name one example, we created a Women’s Forum, an employee affinity group where our female employees can support and mentor each other.

During the chat, both CEMEX executives touched on various topics including what we’re doing to be more inclusive to women, how we’re recruiting them, and how we’re retaining them. As a company that values our people as our main competitive advantage, we will make sure to always hire the best, and ensure that their health, safety, and professional growth are top priorities.

CEMEX is a global building materials company that provides high quality products and reliable service to customers and communities in more than 50 countries. CEMEX has a rich history of improving the well-being of those it serves through innovative building solutions, efficiency advancements, and efforts to promote a sustainable future.