The IBERDROLA strategic approach considers the Company's relationship with the groups affected by its activities (interest groups), to manage the perception that these groups have of the company and to respond to their expectations and needs.

In a group such as IBERDROLA, these groups are numerous. The annual sustainability reports provide summarised information on relations with these groups. The information below refers specifically to the environmental interest groups.

The relationship with these groups is implemented according to the following diagram, where four steps are identified:

RELATION SCHEME BETWEEN IBERDROLA AND ITS INTEREST GROUPS

IBERDROLA develops a set of communication and dialogue channels with these groups, which make it possible to communicate the objectives, actions taken and achievements in the area of the environment and to receive feedback and requests from the interested parties.

As a complement to these dialogue channels, a variety of internal analysis elements are used and external sources are consulted to identify the needs and expectations of these groups.

As a result of these analyses, IBERDROLA has identified the relevant elements or ‘issues’ for these groups. This process enables the Company to focus its activities on observed needs, set goals and make progress in the development of this relationship.

The following describes the development of this relationship and its results.

Communication and dialogue channels

• Environment suggestion box and e-mail  medioambiente@IBERDROLA.es, available on IBERDROLA ’s intranet and extranet.
• Surveys, meetings and other types of contact with different social groups.
• Preliminary consultations and those resulting from public information in the infrastructure implementation processes.
• Collaboration projects.
• Third-party evaluations and ratings, including those by socially responsible investment analysts.
• Internally, environmental information in the news on the intranet and in Internal Energy and blogs.
• Environmental Forum made up of external experts and people with influence from fields such as environmental regulation in order to share points of view with external experts and external leaders in this field in order to obtain feedback on its efficiency and effectiveness.

Internal analysis and external sources used

• Materiality studies conducted by KPMG Asesores as part of the work planned to verify the Sustainability Reports.
• Daily consultation of information sources specialising in these issues, identifying the relevant environmental aspects and distributing them internally. The evolution of the environment and the main environmental challenges and opportunities for the Company’s activities is also monitored. There are two instruments available for these two actions: the Environmental Monitoring System and the Environmental Regulation Working Group.
• Following up on the work done by the Global Reporting Initiative in relation to the framework for drafting sustainability reports.
• Participation by IBERDROLA in forums and seminars on the environment with experts from a variety of organisations, making it possible to identify the different opinions of the interest groups and to present our own.
• Assessment of the environmental aspect by socially responsible investment analysts -the evaluations of SAM, analyst for the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, FTSE4GOOD analyst EIRIS- Vigeo and OEKOM have been taken into account.
• Surveys to certain NGOs with which IBERDROLA maintains a relationship regarding the environment -The Spanish Ornithological Society (SEO/BirdLife), the Global Nature Foundation, the Tormes Foundation, the Naturgintza Foundation and the Employees’ Home Foundation-.
• Analysis of the trends in the approach and details for environmental information by other leading companies, conducting an in-depth review of the environmental information from 10 leading multinationals in environmental management and information.
• Conclusions drawn from the meetings of the Environmental Forum.

In Spain, relations and/or collaboration projects are maintained with a variety of Administrations and social organisations. The list of actions included at the end reflects some of them. In the specific case of environmental NGOs, environmental projects have been carried out with the Spanish Ornithological Society (SEO/BirdLife), the Global Nature Foundation, the Tormes Foundation, the Naturgintza Foundation and the Urdaibai Foundation.

Collaboration projects have also been carried out with institutions such as the Biodiversity Foundation and UNESCO (through Unesco –Etxea).

In the United Kingdom, collaboration ties are maintained with several groups, such as the Scottish Natural Heritage, Natural England, Fisheries Boards, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), WWF, Friends from the Earth Scotland and Wildlife Trust.

The elements identified by IBERDROLA as material for these groups include the following: strategies related to the future of energy sources, eco-efficiency, emissions that cause the greenhouse effect, waste, biodiversity, energy efficiency and setting objectives for environmental indicators.

Environmental entities in which IBERDROLA participates:

International entities

• Eurelectric
• Global Roundtable on Climate Change
• 3C Initiative (Curving Climate Change)
 

Spanish entities

• Spanish Electricity Industry Association
• Wind Energy Business Association AEE
• Spanish Association of the United Nations Global Compact
• Excellence in Sustainability Club
• Association of Basque Companies for Sustainability
• Basque Environmental Industry Cluster Association
• Region of Valencia Environment Foundation
 

Entities in the United Kingdom

• United Kingdom Business Council of Sustainable Development (UKBCSE)
• British Wind Energy Association (BWEA)
• Scottish Renewables Forum (SRF)
• The Environment Council
• Energy Saving Trust
• Energy Action Scotland
• Scottish Landfill Tax Credit Forum
• Green Alliance
• The Parliamentary Renewable and Sustainable Energy Group (PRASEG)
• Forth Estuary Forum
• National Energy Action
• Energy Efficiency Partnership for Homes