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This measure has been adopted in compliance with the technical guidelines issued by the Basque Country Regional Government

2020-05-08 00:00:00.0

Iberdrola keeps its promise: the company is donating part of the expenses that would have been incurred during the holding of its Shareholder’s Day to Osakidetza-The Basque Health Service

During his closing speech at the General Shareholders’ Meeting, held entirely remotely on 2 April, Iberdrola Group Chairman Ignacio Galán promised that “the amount set aside to be spent on the traditional aperitif we serve every year at the end of the Meeting, in the Euskalduna Palace, will be allocated to the acquisition of healthcare equipment for Osakidetza-The Basque Health Service”.

No sooner said than done: Iberdrola diverted the amount the culinary event in question usually costs into purchasing a total of 1,702,000 pairs of disposable surgeon’s gloves, which it put at the disposal of this entity that is run by the Basque Country Regional Government. The company performed this action in compliance with the technical guidelines issued by this Regional Government entity.

Throughout the health crisis Iberdrola has once again shown itself to be firmly committed to the Basque Region, where it started out and still has its head offices. The company has, to date, donated 150,000 euros to the Basque Country Regional Government for the purchase of healthcare equipment: nitrile gloves, disposable coveralls, face masks, protective eyewear, half masks, hydroalcoholic gel, gowns and sleeve protectors.

This action forms part of the Iberdrola's global integrated plan for combating coronavirus, which benefits:

  • Employees: by safeguarding jobs, with 5,000 new posts anticipated for 2020; strengthening safety and protection measures for field personnel and enabling 95% of office staff to work from home, thanks to the investments made in digitisation.
  • Suppliers and industrial structure: by increasing our investments for the quarter by 24%, taking them to 1.729 billion euros, and by speeding up the contract awards made to our suppliers, which came to 3.8 billion euros between January and March, in order to ensure they continue to have their essential “pull” effect.
  • Society: by shoring up the supply of electricity, which is primordial under the current circumstances, especially for essential infrastructure such as hospitals; offering payment facilities to its customers and free services to vulnerable groups in close collaboration with the authorities; and donating 30 million euros worth of urgently needed medical supplies.