Corporate volunteering awards

We reward the most committed Iberdrola employees with our International Volunteers of the Year Awards

Social action Volunteering Corporate social responsibility

We inaugurated the first edition of our International Volunteer of the Year Awards in 2023, as a tool to highlight the great impact of the corporate volunteering activities carried out by thousands of Iberdrola employees around the world.

Ignacio Galán, Executive Chairman of Iberdrola, presenting the International Volunteers of the Year 2023 Awards to (from left to right): Nubia Acevedo, Maria Samarkou, Marina Paredes and Michel Fuzzi.

At Iberdrola, we have created annual awards that publicly recognise the dedication and solidarity of our most active volunteers, in order to make visible and promote our international Iberdrola corporate volunteer programme. A new way of highlighting the unstoppable global community that we have been bringing together since 2006, dedicated to social action projects aimed at integrating vulnerable groups, improving the environment, and sustainable development.

At the inaugural gala of these corporate volunteering awards, held in Madrid in October 2023, Iberdrola Executive Chairman Ignacio Galán recalled that it is essential that in companies "social aspects weigh as much as economic ones". He personally thanked all the volunteers for their solidarity and commitment: "I am proud of the thousands of people who dedicate part of their time to helping others. It shows that this company has a human soul.

International Volunteer of the Year Awards 2023

Four Iberdrola professionals in Spain, Brazil, Mexico and Greece were selected for this first edition of the corporate volunteering awards: Marina Paredes, Michel Fuzzi, Nuvia Acebedo and Maria Samarkou. Recognition for their active participation in environmental volunteering programmes, training and integration of vulnerable groups, promoting sustainable development and encouraging the safe and healthy use of electricity.

At the emotional presentation ceremony, Ignacio Galán was accompanied by various representatives of the social organisations with which Iberdrola collaborates through its community of corporate volunteers, such as the Spanish Cancer Association, the Envera Association, the Tomillo Foundation, the ECODES Foundation and the Prodis Foundation.

In addition, as part of this event, the Banco de Alimentos thanked Iberdrola for its solidarity work by giving the company's name to one of the corridors of the warehouse at its headquarters in Madrid and presenting the plaque "Calle Iberdrola" to President Galán, from the hands of the President of the Fundación de Banco de Alimentos de Madrid, Francisco García.

Recognition of work in Education

Marina Paredes Martín, head of Smart Climate at the Iberdrola Group in Spain, is a volunteer with great empathy, especially involved in training vulnerable groups such as refugees, women at risk of exclusion, people with disabilities and vulnerable young people. Through her volunteer work, Paredes aims to help these people improve their knowledge and strengthen their self-esteem. In addition, she promotes STEM (science and technology) vocations and gives workshops on climate change in schools.

Recognition for her work in Environment

Nubia Acevedo Morales, coordinator of the Integral Management System at Iberdrola México, is a very dynamic volunteer, especially active in her commitment to environmental volunteering. She participates in reforestation activities as well as in training and awareness-raising activities, as well as in workshops on climate change, circular economy, and biodiversity that she shares with primary school students, people with disabilities, and communities. Like other members of Iberdrola's corporate volunteering programme, Acevedo involves his entire family in the activities whenever possible.

Recognition of work in Health and Welfare

Michel Fuzzi Gomes, electrician at our Brazilian subsidiary Neoenergia, is very proactive in the annual volunteer programme, dedicating himself above all to the Comunidade Segura project. This solidarity initiative, in partnership with the Networks business and the Health and Safety area, promotes awareness of the healthy and safe use of electrical energy, with the aim of preventing accidents. Fuzzi participates in actions in schools, communities, fairs and public events, including talks, distribution of educational materials and recreational activities. His young daughter always accompanies him in his volunteering activities.

Recognition of work in Broadcasting and Advocacy

Maria Samarkou, from the People & Organisation team of Rokas Renewables in Greece, is enthusiastic and the motivating force behind almost all volunteer initiatives that promote Iberdrola's values in the country, especially those related to helping employees and local communities. Since her mobilisation to get involved as a team in the International Volunteering Week 2022, she has managed to increase the participation and spirit of solidarity in the Athens office tremendously.