LAFARGE Cement Services (Philippines), Inc. and Republic Cement Corporation (RCC), a LAFARGE-associated company have recently signed on to become part of the Integrity Initiative, a private sector-led effort that aims to promote corporate transparency and ethics as a way of eradicating corruption in the country.

By signing the Integrity Pledge, LAFARGE and Republic Cement formally expressed their continuing commitment to abide by ethical business practices and good corporate governance.  As part of their pledge, LAFARGE and Republic Cement promise to maintain a code of conduct for the pursuit of proper business practices, promote professional integrity among employees through training programs, renounce bribery and implement internal systems to prevent unethical behavior.  Further, they vow to maintain appropriate financial reporting mechanisms, enter into integrity pacts with other business and government agencies for procurement needs and refrain from engaging in business with unethical parties.

"LAFARGE and Republic Cement are proud to join the Integrity Initiative and participate in this movement against corruption in the Philippines," remarked Don Lee, president of LAFARGE Cement Services (Philippines), Inc.  "Transparency and adherence to professional ethics are central to our own Code of Business Conduct.  We are pleased to join other companies and organizations to uphold these fundamental values that are critical to building a strong nation."

Integrity Pledge -- Shown (from right) at the signing of the Integrity Pledge are: Don Lee, President of LAFARGE Cement Services (Philippines), Inc., and Renato Sunico, president of Republic Cement Corporation, sign the Integrity Plegde while Henry Schumacher, Exec. Vice President of the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, served as witness.

Spearheaded by the Makati Business Club (MBC) and the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) in 2009, the Integrity Initiative is a multi-sectoral campaign that seeks to institutionalize integrity standards among various sectors of society -- business, government, judiciary, academe, youth, civil society, church and media.  The initiative aims to help in the quest to curtail, if not fully end, the cycle of corruption in the Philippines.  Ultimately, it hopes to build trust in government, alleviate poverty and develop an ethical and progressive business environment.

Presently, the Integrity Initiative is focused on the development of integrity standards in the business community through the SHINE project.  A four-year anti-corruption plan, SHINE is focused on establishing concrete control measures to deter corruption within companies in the private business sector.

Source: Manila Bulletin Sunday; Business Bulletin; 04 September 2011