At the Sustainability and ESG to include Industry 5.0 International Conference in São Paulo (World Trade Center, November 24-25), Cementos Argos will share how it transformed a traditional innovation program into a living ecosystem.
Title of presentation: What if innovation didn’t depend on R&D teams, but on every employee?
Speakers: Maria Clara Salazar and Vanessa Castro Restrepo, ESG Leaders, Cementos Argos Colombia
The story behind the presentation
Through the evolution of Ideaxion, a recognition-driven initiative, ideas now emerge naturally across operations, commercial teams and support functions. Innovation became part of everyday work and unlocked the potential of hundreds of employees across multiple countries.
The results
Hundreds of implemented ideas
Measurable gains in efficiency
Cost optimization
Stronger sustainability performance
About the Speakers
María Clara Salazar:
Environmental Engineer with a master’s in business administration and specialization in Environmental Business, with extensive experience in sustainability. ESG Leader at Cementos Argos, with a track record spanning academia and consulting, including roles at Universidad EIA, KPMG, and Contreebute (now Anthesis). Proven leader in sustainability strategies, materiality analysis, and integrated reporting, with experience advising over 50 organizations across multiple sectors. Strong expertise in stakeholder engagement, project leadership, indicators, targets and knowledge and application of sustainability frameworks, standards, and rankings.
Vanessa Castro Restrepo:
Industrial Engineer with a specialization in Environmental Management and a master’s in development practice. ESG Leader at Cementos Argos, leading climate strategy, decarbonization, and ESG performance across a multinational operation.
More than seven years of experience in sustainability, with strong expertise in ESG reporting, global frameworks and ratings, climate governance, and target-setting. Proven ability to translate complex sustainability challenges into actionable strategies and executive decision-making.
Why it matters for you
This case challenges conventional innovation models and offers a practical, scalable approach to activating employee-driven innovation in the cement and concrete industry. If you lead teams, operations or sustainability programs, you’ll leave with ideas you can apply back at your own company.
Seats are limited — register now to secure your spot, here: https://industrylink.eu/event/sustainability-and-esg-international-summit-2026 or email us at Mariana.gheorghe@industrylink.eu.
