IBERDROLA has won the Diamond Award for Procurement in the ‘Ambassador of Spanish Procurement Abroad’ category, which is granted by the Spanish Association for Procurement, Engagement and Supply (Asociación Española de Profesionales de Compras, Contratación y Aprovisionamientos, or Aerce ). The accolade acknowledges the company’s commitment to generating value in the various areas in which it operates.

The company’s procurement for 2009 climbed to nearly seven billion euros. Of this mammoth total, 37% was spent in Spain, while the rest was channelled into other countries, particularly the United States, the United Kingdom and Mexico.

Aerce also wanted to reward the success of our Procurement Department’s chosen model, which combines a centralised system based in Spain with heavy implementation in the 40-plus countries from which the Group operates. In fact, nearly half of IBERDROLA’s procurement team is based outside Spain, reflecting the company’s commitment to harnessing local talent.

During the award ceremony, which was held yesterday in Madrid, IBERDROLA’s Procurement Manager, Asís Canales, also picked up Honorary Mention in the ‘Special Employment Centres as Sources of Supply’ category, a symbol of Aerce’s recognition of the Group’s commitment to creating employment for disabled people.

Over the course of 2009, IBERDROLA purchased over two million euros worth of equipment and materials from these kind of centres, going far beyond its legal spending obligation in this regard. Over the last three years, IBERDROLA has stepped up its procurement from Special Employment Centres (SEC) by 80%, leading to the creation of over 100 indirect jobs.

The Group’s SEC suppliers include Sertel, which provides the company with telephony services, Apta, which supplies protective work clothing, and the Lantegi Batuak Foundation, which has 19 centres in Biscay and primarily supplies electrical material.

About Aerce and the Diamond Awards for Procurement 

Aerce was founded in 1981 as a professional association of purchasing managers from SMEs, large companies and organisations from the public sector. Its aim is to promote procurement within companies, while recognising the work of purchasers, providing them with continuous training and enhancing procurement management systems.

In January 2010, the association unveiled its Diamond Awards for Procurement, which are handed out yearly in recognition of excellent procurement management practices within companies. Aerce is therefore acknowledging the hard work of people and institutions that help to develop and foster purchasing through their initiatives. Moreover, the Diamond Awards are intended to raise awareness of best business practices so that other companies can take note and learn from their experiences.