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(NEW YORK, February 18, 2021) –
The Resilient Cities Network (R-Cities) announces the appointment of Martha Herrera Gonzalez, Global Social Impact Director, CEMEX to the board of directors. Alongside this nomination, R-Cities, today, officially enters a two-year partnership with Wood Plc. This multinational consulting and engineering company unlocks solutions to critical challenges in energy and the built environment in cities across the globe.
With these announcements, R-Cities underscores the value of the public and private sectors aligning to deliver results. R-Cities 97 member cities around the world can benefit from the capacity and resources that private sector companies have to lend to projects. Similarly, private sector companies, motivated by environmental, social and corporate governmental goals (ESG) as well as by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are pivoting their businesses to serve local communities and support local investments.
“I’d like to welcome Ms. Martha Herrera Gonzalez to the R-Cities Board of Directors and look forward to benefiting from her leadership and expertise,” said City of Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Chairman of R-Cities Board, “We are seizing the opportunity to reimagine partnerships by aligning corporate responsibility with the need for effective city government that can deliver results for all people. Our joint effort with Wood, a partner with deep experience supporting city clients to deliver transformative projects, will help activate sustainable energy and infrastructure investments for the future.”
“I am pleased to take the reins among the dynamic leadership of Resilient Cities Network board during this time of great challenge for communities around the world,” expressed Martha Herrera Gonzalez, CEMEX. “At CEMEX we foster transformational change within the countries in which we operate through our products, services, and urban transformation strategy. Throughout my career I’ve been focused on building alliances and leading programs that create shared value and improve well-being and quality of life in cities around the world. I look forward to bringing this expertise to the R-Cities global network of city practitioners.”
In response to the COVID-19 crisis, communities around the world are seeking to implement a resilient recovery. City practitioners are looking for new and innovative ways to serve their constituents, while attempting to leverage new forms of project financing. The private sector is seeking new delivery mechanisms for targeting investments, as well as the credibility of providing local impact. Both are seeking ways of collaborating to address the challenges of the next decade.
“Delivering a more sustainable, resilient and zero carbon future will not be possible without a concerted focus on improving quality of life in our cities across the globe. We are delighted to partner with the Resilient Cities Network on advancing this important mission,” stated Andrew Stewart, Executive President of Strategy and Development, Wood. “At Wood, we work with clients to develop sustainable and resilient infrastructure. We have a framework for helping cities prioritize projects for investment, as well as an approach for decarbonizing portfolios.
These solutions and the training and capacity building that go alongside them will be valuable to R-Cities members in making their cities more competitive and attractive to investment.”
As the world continues to urbanize, with 55% of the population living in cities, on target to be nearly 70% by 2050 1 , cities must continue to lead on solutions. The increasing pressure on municipal government to deliver solutions for adapting to climate change, becoming resilient in face of future shocks and stresses, and driving down carbon emissions will require new ways of thinking, approaching problems and collaborating. For many cities, this also means delivering results in areas not previously measured. There is, therefore, an opportunity to leverage resources and capacity from new partners.
“This moment of great change around the world creates the opportunity to unlock new solutions,” said Lauren Sorkin, Executive Director, Resilient Cities Network. “At R-Cities we are in the business of scaling up what works. Appointing Martha Herrera Gonzalez to the leadership of our Network guarantees our cities a voice in helping corporates deliver social responsibility. Further, our partnership with Wood ensures our members have access to the best guidance in sustainable infrastructure investment, and best-in class examples of how a city can achieve its net-zero ambitions and deliver a lower-carbon energy system. These partnerships announced today underscore the recognition that city government is key to effectively targeting the billions of dollars in sustainable investment aligning for the future.”
ABOUT CEMEX
CEMEX is a global building materials company that provides high-quality products and reliable services. 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. For more information, please visit: www.cemex.com
ABOUT WOOD
Wood is a global leader in engineering and consultancy across energy and the built environment, helping to unlock solutions to some of the world’s most critical challenges. We provide consulting, projects, and operations solutions in more than 60 countries, employing around 45,000 people.
About Resilient Cities Network (R-Cities)
Resilient Cities Network is a global city-led non-profit organization that brings together knowledge, practice, partnerships, and funding to empower cities to help them build a safe, equitable, and sustainable future for all. The Network integrates the combined effort of urban practitioners, city governments, and communities in a collective, comprehensive, and well-coordinated call-to-action to deliver urban impact-driven resilience solutions.
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