News
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21/06/2021Iberdrola commissions the Ceclavín solar plant and reaches 1,000 MW operational photovoltaic capacity in Spain To mark International Sun Day, which is observed to raise awareness of solar energy as a renewable energy source to drive the energy transition, in coexistence with biodiversity and the environment, Iberdrola has commissioned the 328-MW Ceclavín photovoltaic plant in Extremadura. The project is being commissioned following an investment of 250 million euros, which has given a significant boost to local employment. At peak times during the construction stage, more than 1,140 workers were employed on the project, 60 % of them from nearby towns and other places in Extremadura. The plant will supply energy to a population equivalent to 175,385 homes/year and prevent the release of 100,000 t CO2/year. Its green energy will supply clean electricity to the 9,000 points of supply in the Orange network, based on a long-term Power Purchase Agreement or PPA entered into with this telecommunications firm last year. 1,000 MW of photovoltaic under construction and 4,900 MW by 2025 The commissioning of Ceclavín follows the start-up of projects including Núñez de Balboa, Campo de Arañuelo I and II in Extremadura, Azaila (Aragon, 50 MW), and Andévalo (Andalusia), all of which have been commissioned in recent months, bringing the company's total operating capacity in Spain to more than 1,000 MW. It is currently building a further 1,200 MW of photovoltaic capacity and has guaranteed 4,900 MW by 2025 in Spain and 9,900 MW globally. The photovoltaic plants under construction in Extremadura include the Francisco Pizarro, Arenales and other projects in Cedillo - a key region for its photovoltaic renewables strategy in the country. In Spain, Iberdrola is the leader in the renewable sector with an installed capacity of 17,571 MW, which will increase to 25,000 MW with its investment plan for 2025. Green investments to promote economic recovery Iberdrola has been leading the energy transition for two decades, acting as a key driving force to transform the industrial fabric and in the green recovery of the economy and employment. To achieve this, the company has launched a historic investment plan worth €150bn over the next decade (€75bn by 2025), to triple its renewable capacity to almost 100,000 MW, doubling its network assets and taking advantage of the opportunities offered by the energy revolution the world's leading economies are facing. In Spain, investments until 2025 account for some €14.3bn, €7bn of which will be used to develop renewable projects. Investments worth €120bn over the last twenty years have made Iberdrola a leader in renewable energy with nearly 35,000 MW installed worldwide, a volume that makes its generation fleet one of the cleanest in the energy sector. With emissions of 28 gCO2/kWh, which is already two thirds lower than the European average, the investment strategy in clean energy and grids will make Iberdrola a carbon-neutral company in Europe by 2030. READ MORE
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18/06/2021Ignacio Galán: we will beat our investment record by investing up to €17 billion in 2021 to consolidate the recovery of the economy and of employment The chairman of Iberdrola, Ignacio Galán, today addressed the Company’s more than 600,000 shareholders in the company’s second and the IBEX 35’s first 100% remote General Shareholders' Meeting, which allowed voting by means of a QR code to facilitate access to voting in these times of pandemic. During his address from Bilbao’s Iberdrola Tower, he reaffirmed the company’s commitment to investing in order to contribute to mitigating the consequences of the pandemic and consolidating the recovery of the economy and of employment: “In 2020 we invested a record €10 billion, which this year we will break again, reaching €17 billion.” These investments allowed the company to commission close to 4,500 green megawatts in 2020 and to start construction of a further 8,700 MW. Attendance reached 65.83% of the share capital, particularly significant given the fact that the General Meeting was held by remote electronic means. This year the General Meeting saw a significant increase in the participation of institutional investors, both Spanish and international. All the groups of proposed resolutions included in the agenda received more than 98% of votes in favour, details as follows: * Group 1 (results of the conduct of the company’s business): 98.52%. * Group 2 (governance and sustainability system): 98.48%. * Group 3 (shareholder remuneration): 99.49%. * Group 4 (Board of Directors): 94.23%. * Group 5 (authorisations and delegation of powers): 99.68%. * Group 6 (consultative votes): 91.67% During his address, Ignacio Galán highlighted the fact that “twenty years ago we defined a strategy and a business model, and since then we have invested €120 billion in renewable energy, smart grids and energy storage, carrying out an unprecedented international expansion to transform our Group into a global leader by size and results.” And he stressed that “we were pioneers in promoting the energy transition, and ever since then we’ve been driving it forward, despite the scepticism of those who believed that nothing would change. And I can now proudly say that we have become an indisputable leading world energy company. Those who took cover at the time behind arguments that have since been disproved, may continue to attack us with other pretexts. But they failed then and they will fail now. We have the experience, the knowledge, the technology, and a diverse, committed, and qualified team ready to face new challenges. We are in the best sector, at the best time and in the best company. Our project makes more sense today than it ever has, because never before has there been such a need for solid and responsible companies capable of creating progress, employment and well-being while guaranteeing a sustainable future for its employees and for the societies we serve.” The chairman of Iberdrola also looked to the future in his remarks: “we look upon the almost unanimous agreement regarding the need to speed up the energy transition with satisfaction and we are addressing this worldwide context of commitment to electrification from a solid and geographically diversified position, which will be strengthened over the next few years with our plan to invest €75 billion between now and 2025. This could go reach €150 billion by 2030, tripling our renewable capacity to 100,000 MW by the end of the decade, with at least 12,000 MW in offshore wind power and continuing to expand and strengthen our transmission and distribution networks to cater to the growing demand for electricity.” Pull effect on Spanish industry The company’s investment efforts have re-energised its value chain and contributed to preserving and creating jobs. “Since the beginning of 2020 we have placed orders worth €18 billion with our suppliers, the biggest volume placed in such a short space of time in our one-hundred-year history. Thanks to this we have been able to protect the 400,000 jobs that our activity generates throughout the value chain, 85,000 of them in Spain.” What is more, in the same period 6,000 new employees joined the Group. This pull effect also carried over into other areas: in 2020, the group paid €7.475 billion in taxes worldwide, of which €3.38 billion were paid in Spain. The company also maintained its commitment to innovation and training and to people, promoting gender equality, work-life balance and diversity, for which it was once again recognised by the international Bloomberg Gender Equality index. International expansion and strategic partnerships During his address to the Genera Meeting, the chairman of Iberdrola made reference to the green financing strategy to accelerate growth -“we remain world leaders in green and sustainable financing, with more than €32 billion”- as well as to the corporate transactions carried out in the past few months despite the restrictions on mobility. In this regard he made particular mention of the acquisitions carried out in the USA (PNM Resources, the electric utility company of New Mexico and Texas); in Brazil, with the takeover of the Brasilia distributor and in Australia with the integration of the country's main renewable energy company, now called Iberdrola Australia. He also highlighted the creation of new growth platforms in the offshore wind market in countries such as Sweden, Ireland, Poland and Japan. There was also concrete progress on strategic partnerships “with companies such as Volkswagen, Renault and Mercedes in the automotive sector; Total, BP and Mitsubishi Power in the energy sector; Mapfre in the financial sector; and a whole host of industrial companies with which we are promoting the use of green hydrogen, renewable energy and energy efficiency.” Growth in results and shareholder remuneration The pace of this investment and the company’s activity is reflected in its results, its share price and shareholder remuneration. In 2020, EBITDA came to more than €10 billion and net profit amounted to €3.611 billion, and increase of 4.2%, or 10% when adjusted for the impact of COVID-19. In 2020, Iberdrola’s share price gained 27.5%, compared with a fall of 15.5% for the IBEX 35 and comfortably outperforming the EURO STOXX 50 index and European electric utilities as a whole. This performance, together with the dividend paid, gives a total shareholders return of 32.7%. During the year market capitalisation reached a new record, comfortably exceeding €70 billion and increasing sixfold relative to 2000. This positions Iberdrola as one of the world's three largest electric utility companies by market capitalisation, the biggest on the Spanish Stock Market, one of Europe's top 15 companies by capitalisation in any sector and one of the 150 largest anywhere in the world. In this context, the General Shareholders' Meeting - at the proposal of the Board of Directors - approved a supplementary dividend of €0.252 per share, payable in July. Added to the interim dividend, this represents total remuneration of €0.42 per share, 5% more than in the previous year. “We expect to increase it further in 2021, to €0.44 euros per share, in both cases exceeding the floor established for 2022,” he commented. Openness to dialogue and commitment to defending stakeholders’ interests In his address to the shareholders, the chairman of Iberdrola also commented on current legislative developments in Spain: “We are confident that the Draft Bill recently submitted in Spain, introducing unwarranted charges on non-polluting technologies, will be suitably amended during its progress through Parliament to seek solutions that ensure full consistency between energy policies aimed at decarbonisation and a stable and reliable legislative and regulatory framework.”, he commented. “There are many factors that affect the price of electricity, but without doubt the most significant one is the burden of taxes, charges and levies imposed and that has to be borne by citizens. Accordingly we welcome the recent statements by the Government in Parliament on the possible reduction of taxes, charges and levies, since these now represent nearly 60% of the bill paid by citizens,” he added. “The main beneficiary of high electricity prices, especially in a scenario like the present one, with the high price of CO₂, is the Ministry of the Treasury, which receives not only substantial tax revenue in proportion to the price of energy but also the proceeds of the sale of CO₂ emission rights, which could reach €2.5 billion this year.” And he noted that “as has been indicated in comments on the draft law by a wide range of agents and bodies as well as the main financial analysts and rating agencies, it is essential for the regulatory framework to safeguard legal certainty and investors’ legitimate confidence.” “You may rest assured that at Iberdrola we will not only remain open to dialogue but will also maintain our commitment to defending your, our shareholders’ interests and those of our other stakeholders,” he concluded. Objective, climate neutrality In the General Shareholders' Meeting, the chairman of Iberdrola also highlighted the company’s advances and its firm commitment to social contribution, in full accord with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals: “Our CO₂ emissions now stand at just 28 gr/kWh in Europe, 10 times less than our peers, and our goal is to achieve climate neutrality by 2030, 20 years before the European target.” Climate action is a priority axis which was submitted to a consultative vote of the company’s shareholders. “We continue working on staying ahead of the new challenges posed by sustainability and remaining at the forefront of the best corporate governance practices,” Galán explained. Accordingly, “we have structured our internal governance around ESG principles and taken on new environmental, social and corporate governance commitments.” And so, together with the consultation on the content of the company’s climate policy, and marking another first, Iberdrola’s shareholders approved an amendment to the By-laws requiring the Board of Directors to approve and periodically update a climate action plan to allow the company to attain the objective of climate neutrality. READ MORE
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17/06/2021Iberdrola ramps up its renewables projects in the Asian Pacific region: it has signed a cooperation agreement with GS Energy to develop projects in Korea and other Asian regions Iberdrola has ramped up its strategy to move into the renewables industry in the Asian Pacific region by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with energy company GS Energy to cooperate on projects in South Korea and other Asian regions. The agreement was signed this morning against the backdrop of the Spain-Korea Business Summit, attended by Xabier Viteri, Director of Renewables at Iberdrola, and the CEO of GS Energy, Huh Yongsoo. The event was also attended by the South Korean Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, Moon Sungwook and the Spanish Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism, Reyes Maroto. The alliance between the companies will enhance the capacity of two global leaders to seek out and develop more renewables projects, including onshore and offshore wind farms and photovoltaic plants. Xabier Viteri, Iberdrola's Director of Renewables, said: "The agreement is aligned with our diversification strategy and our objective to position ourselves in markets with high potential for growth in renewables. The alliance will enable us to harness the capacities of two global leaders and strengthen our determination to keep driving the energy transition based on competitive, zero-emissions technologies". GS Energy CEO, Huh Yongsoo, said "to make the energy transition toward renewable energy, it is inevitable we will adopt the best global practices. This agreement will allow us to combine Iberdrola's execution and operating capacity with our development experience in Korea and the Asian Pacific so that everyone is a winner". Expansion and leadership in renewables The alliance strengthens Iberdrola's expansion strategy in the Asian Pacific, its leadership in the sector and its pledge to establish itself as the world's biggest renewables company. The company is already operating in Japan and Australia. In 2020, Iberdrola moved into the Japanese market when it purchased local developer Acacia Renewables, with a 3,300 MW offshore wind portfolio in the south of the country. Acacia Renewables is currently developing two offshore wind plants with a joint capacity of 1,200 MW, both of which will be operational by 2028. It has another four projects in the pipeline which will add a further 2,100 MW. These six projects will be developed by Iberdrola in collaboration with Macquarie’s Green Investment Group (GIG). Its influence in the area was recently strengthened by a further agreement with Japanese company Cosmo Eco Power (the renewables affiliate of Cosmo Energy Holdings) to develop an offshore wind project with 600 MW. In Australia, Iberdrola has become one the country's main developers of renewables, after purchasing Infigen Energy last year. With this operation, the energy company now operates more than 800 MW of solar, wind and battery storage capacity. It is currently building more than 450 MW and has a portfolio of more than 1,000 MW in various stages of development. In the meantime, GS Energy has 5,800 MW of installed capacity in energy projects. It operates 100 MW in the renewables sector and has a 900 MW portfolio. Green investments to promote economic recovery and employment Iberdrola has been a champion of the energy transition for more than two decades, and a key driving force in the push to transform industries, the green recovery of the economy and job creation. With this objective, the company has launched a record investment plan worth 150 bn euros over the next decade - 75 bn euros by 2025 - with which it will triple its renewable capacity and double its grid assets, maximising opportunities in the energy revolution. With an investment of 120 bn euros over the last ten years, Iberdrola is the leader in renewable energies with almost 35,000 MW of installed capacity, a volume that makes its generation fleet one of the cleanest in the energy sector. In fact, its renewables portfolio consists of 78,000 MW. With emissions of 28 gCO2 / kWh, it is two thirds below the European average, and Iberdrola's strategy of investing in clean energies and networks will enable the company to be "carbon neutral" in Europe by 2030. READ MORE
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17/06/2021Galán presenta a Aburto el proyecto de Iberdrola para convertir Zorrotzaurre en una isla inteligente y cero emisiones El presidente de Iberdrola, Ignacio Galán, ha aprovechado su tradicional encuentro con el alcalde de Bilbao, Juan Mari Aburto, previo a la celebración mañana de la Junta General de Accionistas , para presentarle el proyecto de la compañía para hacer de la isla de Zorrotzaurre un distrito inteligente y cero emisiones. Con una inversión total de unos 20 millones de euros, la compañía prevé desarrollar y gestionar las redes inteligentes del distrito y proporcionará soluciones inteligentes de movilidad eléctrica, autoconsumo, almacenamiento y climatización, así como herramientas de monitorización a clientes particulares e industriales. En este proyecto liderado por el Ayuntamiento de Bilbao, i-DE, distribuidora de Iberdrola, jugará también un papel relevante, con la transformación digital de la infraestructura eléctrica, y actuará además como operador del sistema de distribución (DSO), figura que distribuye y gestiona la energía desde su generación hasta su consumo por los usuarios finales. En este proceso, la digitalización es clave y se requieren inversiones en automatización, contadores inteligentes, sistemas en tiempo real, big data y analítica de datos. En paralelo, Iberdrola ofrecerá soluciones inteligentes, tanto para clientes residenciales como industriales: instalará paneles fotovoltaicos para autoconsumo en ocho localizaciones del distrito, desplegará puntos de recarga para vehículos eléctricos en vía pública y optimizará los cargadores residenciales y creará servicios personalizados para clientes. El proyecto se enmarca en la iniciativa europea ATELIER, respaldada por el programa EU Horizon 2020, en el que participan -bajo el liderazgo del Ayuntamiento y con Iberdrola como socio energético de referencia-, otras instituciones y empresas, como el Ente Vasco de la Energía (EVE), la Universidad de Deusto, el Cluster de la Energía, Telur, Tecnalia, Cartif y Zabala Innovation Consulting. La iniciativa se desarrollará de forma paralela en Ámsterdam. Bilbao reunirá a los principales presidentes y CEOs de Europa El compromiso de Iberdrola con la ciudad no solo se materializa en su propia actividad, sino también en el efecto llamada para que Bilbao se consolide como uno de los centros de referencia de la industria europea y global, especialmente en el proceso de transición hacia una economía sin carbono. Ignacio Galán ha compartido con Juan Mari Aburto detalles de la próxima reunión plenaria de la European Roundtable of Industry (ERT), el foro integrado por los presidentes y consejeros delegados de las principales 60 compañías industriales europeas, de cuyo Comité Ejecutivo forma parte el presidente de Iberdrola. Los principales ejecutivos de estas compañías -que suman unos ingresos anuales de 2 billones de euros y generan 5 millones de empleos directos en el mundo- se darán cita en Bilbao para celebrar en noviembre su sesión plenaria, el máximo órgano de toma de decisiones de la ERT, que se reúne dos veces al año. READ MORE
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16/06/2021Galán shares with Rementeria the progress made by the Global Smart Grids Innovation Hub, based in Bilbao, which has now reached agreements with 30 technology partners The Iberdrola Chairman, Ignacio Galán, met today in Bilbao with the Deputy General of Bizkaia, Unai Rementeria, to whom he reiterated the company’s firm commitment to leading the transition to a new energy model, based on electrification and the incorporation of more renewables, as well as the need to continue innovating in electricity distribution networks to make this transition possible and to reactivate the economy and employment. The meeting took place on the eve of the General Shareholders’ Meeting, which the company is remotely holding this Friday in Bizkaia’s capital city. Galán shared with Rementeria the opportunity to continue transforming grid infrastructures into a robust, flexible and smart platform that responds to the challenges of the electrification of the electricity system and citizens with a greater decision-making capacity and connectivity. A platform for R&D&i and local and international talent In Galán’s opinion, this transformation must place the emphasis on innovation; an ambition shared by the Bizkaia Provincial Council, embodied in the creation of Iberdrola’s Global Smart Grids Innovation Hub in Bilbao. The centre, which will be launched this autumn, aims to become a benchmark in innovation applied to grids and will act as a driving force for R&D&i and local and international talent, combining the company’s technological capacity with that of global strategic partners and a broad collaborative ecosystem of suppliers, universities and start-ups from around the world. Iberdrola has recently reached agreements with 30 technology partners, many of them Basque, to develop grid digitalisation solutions, integrate renewables and boost the deployment of electric vehicles and energy storage systems. The smart grid hub, which will bring together the potential of more than 200 professionals in carrying out innovation projects, will focus its activities on countries in Europe, America and the Middle East and it has already identified more than 120 innovation projects for future development worth 110 million euros. The Global Smart Grids Innovation Hub will promote knowledge transfer through scholarships and postgraduate courses; it will serve as a catalyst for business development through startup incubation and acceleration programmes; and it will activate competitive intelligence actions, such as designing global conferences. The Bizkaia Provincial Council is collaborating in this initiative, facilitating the interaction of Iberdrola’s ecosystem with the fiscal mechanisms for innovation developed by the Provincial Institution and the instruments to accelerate the consolidation of start-ups. The innovation hub is connected to the Biscay Start-up Bay strategy, as it will also become a scaleup for startups in the energy sector that will set up in the Torre Bizkaia. Basque value chain in technologies of the future At the meeting with the Deputy General of Bizkaia, Galán explained the socio-economic impact of Iberdrola’s activity in the Basque Country which, in the period 2020-2025, coinciding with its ambitious investment plan, will exceed 15 billion euros, therefore reinforcing its role as one of the main drivers of activity in the Basque Country. In this commitment to continue leading the energy transition and boosting the value chain, almost half of the impact by 2025 will be purchases from Basque suppliers. In this regard, he highlighted the opportunities offered to Basque industry by innovation and the development of new technologies, such as green hydrogen, which will mark a large part of the present and future green economy. And he highlighted the participation of companies such as Elecnor and Consonni in the largest green hydrogen project in Europe, which Iberdrola is developing in Puertollano, Ciudad Real. He also detailed the key aspects of the Y Basque Green Hydrogen Initiative in the Basque Country; a project led by Iberdrola and backed by institutions - including the Provincial Council of Bizkaia - and Basque companies, which promotes the installation of hydrogenerators in Vitoria, Bilbao and San Sebastian and could generate purchases from around thirty local suppliers. Finally, Galán shared with Rementeria the progress of the European Roundtable for Industry, which will be organised by Iberdrola in Bilbao next November. The association brings together the top executives from Europe's 60 leading industrial companies. READ MORE
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15/06/2021Galán confirms to Urkullu the commitment to the Basque Country: Iberdrola’s socio-economic contribution will rise to 15 billion euros during 2020-2025 The Iberdrola Chairman, Ignacio Galán, met today in Bilbao with the Lehendakari, Iñigo Urkullu, to whom he ratified the company’s commitment to the Basque Country and its firm commitment to continue contributing to the revitalisation of the Basque economy, industry and employment along with that of the 600 companies in the region with which it collaborates. At the meeting, Galán shared the socio-economic impact of Iberdrola’s activity in the Basque Country which, in the 2020-2025 period, coinciding with its ambitious investment plan, will exceed 15 billion euros, therefore reinforcing its role as one of the main driving forces of activity in the Basque Country. In this commitment to continue leading the energy transition and boosting the value chain, almost half of the impact of its activity by 2025 will be purchases from Basque suppliers. In 2020, Iberdrola’s socioeconomic contribution to the Basque Country amounted to 2.3 billion euros, with purchases worth 1 billion euros from Basque suppliers, through which Iberdrola supports 17,000 jobs in the region. Investments amounted to 160 million euros. Iberdrola’s economic activity in the Basque Country generated a tax contribution of 740 million euros last year. A total of 250 million euros was allocated to dividends distributed among its more than 65,000 shareholders in the Basque Country. The meeting between Galán and Urkullu is being held on the eve of the General Shareholders’ Meeting, which the company is holding remotely on Friday, 18 June in the capital of Bizkaia due to COVID-19 restrictions. Opportunities to develop the green economy The Iberdrola chairman referred to the opportunity to build the optimal ecosystem for robust, sustainable and inclusive growth in the Basque Country around the green economy, which promotes the revitalisation of Basque industry and improvement in the competitiveness of its business fabric, as well as the creation of quality employment in sectors of the future. All of this while maintaining stable frameworks and incentives for investment. Galán also highlighted the key role that hundreds of Basque companies can play in Iberdrola’s growth and internationalisation process. He also reviewed some of the main investments the company is planning in the Basque Country, such as, for example, the Aixeindar initiative, which -in collaboration with the EVE- involves farms with a capacity of 250 MW in Álava. Or Ekienea, the 100 MW photovoltaic plant in which it is participating, with an investment of 70 million euros. Electricity grids are also another of the company’s priorities, in which it wants to continue investing in order to meet the growth in demand and renewable production and distributed generation and improve the resilience of the electricity grid to meet the challenges of climate change. Through its distribution company i-DE, Iberdrola has a plan to invest up to 300 million euros in smart grids in the Basque Country in order to meet the country’s climate targets, which would require removing barriers to investment in this area. The conversation between Galán and Urkullu also focused on innovation and the future technologies that will contribute to the decarbonisation of the economy, such as green hydrogen. Galán stressed that, as is the case with electricity grids, Iberdrola’s green hydrogen projects around the world amount to billions of euros and represent great opportunities for Basque equipment suppliers. In this regard, he highlighted the participation by companies such as Elecnor and Consonni in the largest green hydrogen project in Europe, which Iberdrola is developing in Puertollano, Ciudad Real, and which will be operational this year. He also detailed the key points to the Basque ‘Y’ for green hydrogen in the Basque Country; a project led by Iberdrola and backed by Basque institutions and companies, which promotes the installation of hydrogenerators in Vitoria, Bilbao and San Sebastian and would generate purchases from 30 local suppliers. READ MORE
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12/06/2021Iberdrola extends its commitment to women’s sport to Brazil and exclusively sponsors its national football team Neoenergia, Iberdrola’s Sao Paulo Stock Exchange-listed Brazilian subsidiary, has signed a historic agreement with the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) to become the first company in the country to exclusively sponsor its women’s national football team. Support for women’s sport is based on the belief that it is an excellent way to promote a society of equal opportunities. These competitions allow women’s sport to be introduced into homes, encouraging the creation of new role models in society. The partnership will extend over the next four years and includes the company’s support for the national club competition, which will be called Brasileirão Femenino Neoenergia when it next kicks off. Neoenergia will also accompany the Brazilian women’s national teams, both adult and grassroots, in important competitions such as the final preparations for Tokyo 2021, the Copa América Femenina 2022, the South American Grassroots Football Championship, the Women’s World Cup 2023 and the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The Women’s National Team will display the brandname on its training kit and will post on the Brazil Warriors’ social networks. Neoenergia will be present on the advertising hoardings on the pitch at all matches, in half-time activities and on the competition’s social networks. Support for women’s sport has become a lever for development for Neoenergia and Iberdrola, whose core values include equality between men and women. In addition to promoting sport as an agent of social change that promotes healthy living, respect and discipline, the aim of the two companies is to increase participation by women in the social and professional context, reinforcing their commitment to equal opportunities. To this end, it is working to contribute to including women in activities that are traditionally valued and considered masculine. Neoenergia’s CEO, Mario Ruiz-Tagle, said: “We know about electrical networks and we want to outline another network that is invisible but equally solid, to unite all those who contribute to advancing towards full equality in a context with as much impact as sport. We are committed in this action to support women’s sport with the belief that we are fighting for equal opportunities. We believe in equality in all areas and we share the same values of effort, self-improvement, professionalism and teamwork with sportswomen. These sportswomen are the mirror in which many men and women look at themselves, they are examples for so many others who see sport as a window of opportunity for social change. In addition to being a basic right, equality is also one of the essential foundations for building a more prosperous world for everyone”. “This partnership with Neoenergia means having one of the largest energy companies in the country and the world on our side, which will combine support for women’s football with causes such as equality and sustainability, leveraging the enormous social strength and commitment of our sport,” said Rogério Caboclo, President of the CBF. Iberdrola, a pioneer in promoting women's sport Promoting women’s sport has become a key lever for Iberdrola and the promotion of real equality between men and women, one of its essential values. In 2016, the company became the first company to make a firm and global commitment to equality and the empowerment of women through sport. In Spain, the company supports 16 federations: gymnastics, triathlon, rugby, canoeing, badminton, football, handball, volleyball, hockey, table tennis, athletics, karate, boxing, surfing, ice sports and fencing. Iberdrola also lends its name to 22 national top-tier sports leagues, and 35 other competitions. In both Spain and Brazil, the company is the main partner-sponsor of the women’s national football team. In Brazil, it is also the main sponsor of the U-19 and U-17 national teams, the Copa de la Reina and the Primera Iberdrola top division. READ MORE
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11/06/2021Iberdrola, the first Ibex 35 company to allow its shareholders to vote at the General Shareholders' Meeting using a QR code Iberdrola has strengthened its dialogue channels with its more than 600,000 shareholders to promote their involvement in the company's most important decisions, using digital tools. Therefore, Iberdrola is the first Ibex 35 company to allow its shareholders to exercise their voting and proxy rights using a QR code, therefore establishing a direct, easy and highly efficient interaction. To participate in the General Meeting through this technology, shareholders who have received their proxy and remote voting card with QR code -either directly from the company or through a depositary entity- can scan the code with their mobile phone and, after entering their ID card, directly exercise their voting rights electronically. Iberdrola's 2021 General Shareholders' Meeting, convened for 18 June, will be held remotely, as was the case last year, so the company has continued this year to strengthen its channels to encourage participation by its shareholders. Including by WhatsApp, web, Shareholders' Club and email In addition to the QR code, Iberdrola is also the first Ibex 35 company to allow its shareholders to vote or delegate their vote by WhatsApp. To do so, shareholders will have to send an image of their signed proxy and remote voting card to mobile phone 0034 639 000 639 - if they have received it from Iberdrola - or an image of the card sent to them by the depositary. Holders of Iberdrola shares can also cast their vote on https://votojunta.iberdrola.com . If they have received the card from the depositary, they can enter the portal with their electronic identity certificate or with their share number or their OLA Shareholder's Club password. In addition, the email address Junta2021@iberdrola.es has been set up for shareholders who prefer to use this channel to send their signed cards. In addition, other channels are maintained for shareholders to exercise their voting and proxy rights, such as by telephone, calling the free-phone number 900 100 019, or by post, sending their original signed proxy card to PO Box 1.113, 48080 Bilbao. Shareholders can always download their proxy and absentee voting card from the Shareholders' Meeting Participation Portal . To answer any questions, Iberdrola has had an Advanced Virtual Assistant (AVA) since 2018, which has been improved this year and which will also remain operational this year after the GSM. All shareholders wishing to participate must do so through one of the above-mentioned channels before 24:00 on 17 June, the day before the General Meeting. In addition, those who wish to attend the Meeting remotely will have to pre-register on the Participation Portal between 13 June and 09:00 on 18 June. Once pre-registration has been confirmed, they will be able to attend the Meeting by registering on the participation portal between 09:00 and 10:00 on 18 June. Iberdrola's General Shareholders' Meeting has been certified for the sixth consecutive year as a sustainable event by Aenor. Climate action, a priority At this Shareholders' Meeting, climate action will be a priority issue on which the company's shareholders will also be consulted through a vote. They are being consulted on the content of the company's climate policy, and also, in a pioneering move, the reform of the Articles of Association is being submitted for their approval, making the members of the Board of Directors responsible for the approval, supervision and periodic reporting on a climate action plan that will enable Iberdrola to achieve global climate neutrality by 2050. This amendment strengthens climate governance as a responsibility and commitment of the Board. Therefore, the group's highest management body will become directly involved in the fight against climate change, in line with its commitment to achieving zero net emissions by 2050 or sooner. It will also set intermediate targets for reducing direct and indirect emissions and establish science-based objectives aligned with those in the Paris agreement, setting a strategy and investment policy consistent with emissions objectives and defining methodologies for evaluating compliance. Once the new measures are approved, the Board of Directors will be responsible for approving and updating the climate action plan, and for issuing annual climate management reports as of next year. OLA Shareholders' Club Hosted on the website is the OLA Shareholders's Club , an interactive system that represents a further step in the channel of direct and permanent dialogue that Iberdrola maintains with its shareholders. By registering with this club, shareholders can participate in special leisure activities, events, competitions, etc. They can also make any queries of interest publicly or confidentially, access the most frequently asked questions and answers on various topics and, as of the call for the General Shareholders' Meeting, exercise their rights to information, representation and remote voting, as well as view the meeting live. Investor relations app Iberdrola was the first Ibex 35 company to have a specific mobile application for investors and shareholders: Iberdrola Investor Relations. Through it, investors can consult all the relevant information on the company's economic and financial performance from their mobile devices. Investors can also use this application to follow Iberdrola's results presentations and the General Shareholders' Meeting via webcast. The movement in the share price is also provided in real time, as well as access to stock price charts. Shareholders’ Office The primary objective of the Shareholders' Office is to serve as an open, permanent, and transparent channel for communication with all Iberdrola shareholders, continuously implementing initiatives aimed at strengthening this relationship and allowing shareholders to be permanently informed and to be able to make proposals regarding the management of the company. The Shareholders' Office is therefore able to respond, at all times and on a permanent basis, to shareholders' queries, questions or suggestions, through a free telephone helpline and an email address ( accionistas@iberdrola.com ), keeping in contact with shareholders voluntarily registered on its database. READ MORE
