Iberdrola joins the UN Global Compact once again to continue promoting sustainability among its suppliers
Iberdrola is taking part in the third edition of the ‘Training Programme: Sustainable Suppliers’ of the United Nations Global Compact (UN) to continue promoting the sustainability of its suppliers. In this new edition of the programme led by the UN Global Compact Spain, ICEX and Fundación ICO, the Basque electricity company is promoting sustainability training for more than 920 SME suppliers on four continents.
In previous editions, a total of 338 suppliers have completed the training programme and more than 96% of them consider it to have been useful for their company. The programme aims to provide sustainability training to supply chains within the framework of the Ten Principles of the Global Compact (human rights, labour standards, environment and anti-corruption) and the 2030 Agenda.
Iberdrola renews its collaboration with the UN Global Compact in Spain and takes a further step globally in its drive for sustainability among its suppliers. For five months, the SME suppliers benefiting from the programme (more than 920 from Iberdrola) will be able to access online courses, recorded and live sessions, practical guides, templates for the development of policies and codes, and case studies from other companies. Once they have completed all the modules in the programme, SMEs will receive a certificate of participation and compliance.
All of this is available free of charge, including training in four modules on general aspects of sustainability, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the topics in four blocks of the Global Compact Principles and the internationalisation of the company, incentives and reporting of non-financial information.
Commitment to suppliers
For years the company has been promoting environmental and social sustainability and governance with defined commitments. Iberdrola's supplier must first accept the Supplier Code of Conduct in order to start a business relationship with the company. This includes principles of action and clauses regarding respect for human rights, equal opportunities, inclusion and diversity, occupational health and prevention, anti-fraud and anti-corruption measures, and respect for the environment, among other issues.
Iberdrola looks for supplies and suppliers that, as well as being sustainable, are transparent, solvent, fair, ethical and technically competitive. For this reason, the supplier is evaluated during the purchasing process to determine the potential risk. It is verified that their modus operandi is aligned with the group's policies, principles and responsibilities.
The Sustainable Supplier Training Programme is now in its third edition and has the participation of more than 5,200 SME suppliers from 72 countries. The programme is promoted by the UN Global Compact Spain together with the ICO Foundation and ICEX Spain Trade and Investment, and Iberdrola and 47 other large Spanish companies that are members of the UN Global Compact Spain participate as promoters.
Likewise, Iberdrola has a programme called ‘Initiatives for SMEs’ in which it reports on the actions it carries out to strengthen the level of sustainability of the small and medium-sized enterprises with which it works.
