News

Iberdrola reinforces its commitment to the talent of young women: almost half of the contracts signed with women in 2021 were for those under 30 years of age. Specifically, 48%. Of the almost 1,200 women hired in 2021, more than 560 were women under 30. This is the highest number of women hired since 2019. 

The lower representation of women in the labour market in certain technical profiles makes it difficult to achieve gender parity in new hires. These limitations are inherent to the energy sector, which is why Iberdrola deploys numerous actions to promote interest in technical studies among women of school age. 
    
The continuity of the projects that the company has been carrying out to promote the interest of young women is key, especially at an early age. Iberdrola's commitment to equality has been recognised by various organisations. In addition, the company participates decisively in global forums that fight for equality.

-    Bloomberg maintains Iberdrola, for the fifth consecutive year, within the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index (GEI), which distinguishes organisations committed to equality between women and men. 

-    Iberdrola is a member of the European Round Table for Industry (ERT), with which it collaborates, among other activities, in the Diversity and Inclusion working group, which seeks to give greater visibility, support and connect large companies in this area. 

-    The company's commitment to equality is perceived by employees: 77% said in the work climate survey that Iberdrola is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive work environment. 

-    The WDI (Workforce Disclosure Initiative) has recognised Iberdrola for its initiatives to promote a quality working environment among its employees.

-    Support for UN WOMEN, a United Nations entity that promotes gender equality.

-    Iberdrola is the winner of the first edition of the "MAPFRE Inclusión Responsable" award for its leadership in its commitment to people with disabilities.

Actions for the recruitment and selection of young talent

Talent management is a key factor at Iberdrola to ensure the organisation's success in achieving its goals. The companies that form part of the group join forces to attract, select, empower, and retain professionals of all ages, who share the behaviours, knowledge, and skills aligned with the purpose, values, and current and future needs of the company. 

Through agreements with numerous universities, the company continues its actions to promote the study of STEM careers among women in the countries where it is present, such as the Pontifical University of Comillas, the University of Salamanca, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Yale University, the University of Strathclyde, the Technological Institute of Monterrey, the Federal University of Pernambuco and the Hamad Bin Khalifa University. 

In Spain and through its Foundation, together with the Madrid Municipal Transport Company (EMT) and the Pontifical University of Comillas, the STEM Women Chair in Sustainability and Mobility was launched. The company seeks to promote women in STEM vocations in the field of Vocational Training for sustainable mobility, where the female presence does not exceed 3.6%.

In the UK, in partnership with Equate Scotland, the Women Returner, a comprehensive support programme for female employees from STEM careers who have been inactive for two or more years, was launched. The company has also joined a new gender diversity coalition to increase the number of women at senior and middle management levels in the UK energy industry. In addition, the company is a member of the Women's Engineering Society (WES), a professional network of women in technology and engineering that provides inspiration, support and development for future professionals.

In the United States, in collaboration with universities and local organisations for the promotion of diversity, the WomENERGY programme stands out, focused on discovering and promoting the talent of Avangrid's women through an action plan for training the company's future leaders. 

In Brazil, the "Empodere-se" conference on women's empowerment provides a place to discuss women's struggles and achievements. On Women's Day, Neoenergía's female employees participate in the "Estrelas" dialogue tables, leading talks on female empowerment. In addition, the company promotes the attraction of women to the electricity market through the School of Electricians.

In Mexico, we organised the event "Mujeres con Energía" (Women with Energy), in which a group of 40 women leaders from Iberdrola Mexico participated. We have also developed a workshop on "labour and personal competitiveness" given by the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM), and sponsored women's football.

International scholarship programmes have been organised for master's studies, where Iberdrola has awarded 35 master's scholarships for studies in the company's areas of interest in 2021. The International Graduate Programme in Spain has been launched to attract and incorporate talent, accelerating professional growth to become future leaders and experienced specialists. In addition, employment forums, talks and conferences are organised, both face-to-face and virtual, where the company is committed to sharing the value of the company with students, encouraging their participation in the selection processes. More than 14,000 students have attended. 

Thanks to all these initiatives, a total of 331 vocational training students and 580 university students have begun their internships at Iberdrola España, ScottishPower, AVANGRID, Neoenergia, Iberdrola México and Iberdrola Energía Internacional.