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Today, Iberdrola handed out the 2017 Provider of the Year in Spain Awards, which are meant to promote and recognise corporate management in its suppliers, jobs for youth and women, respect for the environment, innovation and technological development, social responsibility, internationalisation, diversity and equality, and occupational hazards prevention.

The event, held this evening at the Iberdrola Tower in Bilbao, the company’s corporate headquarters, was attended by over 150 guests, including representatives of providers from several autonomous communities and different fields. In addition, along with many other Iberdrola executives, the General Manager for Business of the Group and Chairman of Iberdrola Spain, Francisco Martínez Córcoles, the Corporate Director for Spain, Fernando Becker, the Purchases and Insurance Director, Asís Canales, and the Regulation Director, Julio Castro, were all present at the event.

Martínez Córcoles pointed out during his address that "these prizes are meant to provide an incentive to continue working towards continuous improvement of corporate management since you, as our business partners, are one of the keys to our consolidation as the power utility company of the future."

He also noted that Iberdrola is committed to creating value through a long-term sustainable business model based on four pillars: an ambitious Investment Plan -25 billion euros between 2016 and 2020- to grow in renewables, smart networks, storage capacity and solutions tailored to customers’ needs, creating wealth in the communities where we are present and in the local industrial fabric; respect for the environment; commitment to innovation and technological development and to social responsibility, strongly backing the creation of jobs for youth and women.

Promotion of jobs for youth and women

Martínez Córcoles especially emphasised this last aspect, jobs for youth and women, noting the incorporation of over 2,600 people in 2016 in Iberdrola and the company's participation in several initiatives, such as the Pegasus Programme, ComFuturo, the Carolina Foundation, and the collaboration agreements with several universities "thanks to which 50 young people of various nationalities have been hired who participated in the Iberdrola grants programme,” he indicated.

“Please join us in our commitment create jobs for youth and women and in offering quality professional opportunities to our young people, which will undoubtedly result in improved competitiveness and innovation in your companies and enable the retention of the nation's gifted youth," said Martínez Córcoles. “In our awards we will value those companies that join us in this job initiative.”

The General Director for Business of the Group pointed out that, in addition to providing an essential service to the community, Iberdrola directly contributed 5.7 billion euros last year alone, 3.7 billion of which were contributed in our country. “We likewise help develop the industrial fabric in which we are present due to the large volume of our purchases, which in 2016 amounted to 7.5 billion euros’ worth from 18,000 providers worldwide," he noted. "In Spain alone, 1.7 billion euros were contracted from 5,000 providers.”

Award winners and finalists

The 2017 Provider of the Year in Spain Awards contain10 categories: Special Award; Innovation and Competitiveness, Diversity and Equality; Occupational Hazards Prevention; Health and Safety; Corporate Social Responsibility; Job Creation and Youth Employment; Internationalisation; Best Provider of Non-Power-Related Services; Best Provider of Power Services; and Best Provider of Equipment.

The Special Award for the Provider of the Year went to Arteche company from Biscay, for its lengthy and extensive success while working with Iberdrola, always providing high quality, reliability and flexibility, jointly developing solutions -STAR project- and accompanying Iberdrola in its international development.

The Innovation and Competitiveness Prize was awarded to Ingeteam, and Ariadna was the finalist. Both are Basque companies. In the Diversity and Equality category, the Madrid company Eurest Colectividades won the award, while the Andalusian company Konecta BTO was the finalist.

The companyTesicnor from Navarre won the award for Occupational Hazard Prevention, Health and Safety, with the Madrid company,<1000Tecnatom as the finalist. The award for Corporate Social Responsibility was won by the Valencian company Ibérica de Aparellajes, with the finalist being the Valladolid company Ecoespacio.

The award in the Job Creation and Youth Employment category was given to the Madrid company GMS Management Solutions, while the Galician company Conelec was the finalist. In addition, the company Gedelsa from Salamanca won the award in the Internationalisation category, with Boslan from Biscay as the finalist.

The winner in the Non-Power-Related Services category was Tribal Worldwide, and the finalist was Varona Leds, both of which are from Madrid. In the Power Services category, the winner was the Portuguese company Socorpena, with Cefer from Galicia as the finalist. 

In addition, Inael, from Toledo, won the award for Best Provider of Equipment, with the Biscay companyFanox as the finalist.

The finalists received a plaque and the winners received a sculpture by the prestigious Anglo-Iranian architect Zaha Hadid.