agbar This Wednesday held the Stakeholders General Assembly, a new edition of the innovative participatory meeting sponsored by the company to reinforce active listening to be accountable not only to shareholders but to their stakeholders and to jointly embrace future commitments. General Assembly of Interest Groups, which can be followed openly by the parties, streamingIt has been developed in three axes following the ESG criteria (environmental, social and governance) which are gaining importance for administrations, companies and other institutions to determine when a strategy is sustainable.
In this content, Agbar Chairman Angel SimonHe said: “We are pleased to establish an innovative accountability model such as the Stakeholders’ General Assembly, which enables us to consolidate our alliances with all our stakeholders. stakeholders and building mutual trust to continue working from a shared responsibility to improve people’s quality of life”.
The first block of the event was devoted to the commitment to the environment and was held with the participation of the participants. Tomàs Molina, meteorologist and scientific communicator. In this block, it was emphasized that more than 40% of the world’s population will live in regions with severe water stress by 2050, so innovation is essential to manage increasingly scarce resources.
In this sense, Narciso Berberana, Agbar Director of Sustainable Developmentexplained the impact of climate change on the management of water resources and Guillermo Pascual, Agbar Chief Operating Officernetwork has valued Dinapsis. hubs For the digital transformation of Agbar, acting with governments and citizens to promote sustainable development in different parts of the region.
Currently, the network hubs Agbar’s Dinapsis has a dozen headquarters on Spanish territory. He participated in the event in this area. José Belda, coach of Aguas de Albacetewho mentioned centre Albacete specializes in water stress and regional development and has become an important innovation and social revitalization center in the region.
Likewise, at the time of the event he centre Benidorm, which was opened exactly five years ago on the day of this meeting, Benidorm Mayor Antonio PerezHe stated that public-private cooperation played a key role in the success of this project, which brought Benidorm to the fore in the digitalization of water resources management.
At the Agbar Stakeholder Plenary Meeting, it was highlighted how anticipation enables us to be better prepared for challenges, even for emergencies, such as the eruption of La Palma volcano. Mariano Hernandez, President of the Cabildo de La PalmaHe thanked Canaragua, an Agbar group company that manages water in various municipalities on the island.
Another example of how the response to climate change can be improved from water management is the Sabadell Biotop project and this project has been shared. Marta Farrés, Mayor of SabadellNoting how the impetus for this project is a paradigm shift in the water cycle, Enric Blasco, chairman of Aigües de SabadellHow is Agbar partner Comprehensive for the sustainable development of the city.
Finally, as the closing of this first block of the Agbar Stakeholder General Assembly dedicated to environmental commitment, Gustavo Calero, former director of Sustainable Development in Andalusia– with Granada as a reference example – to highlight how the conversion of treatment plants to biofactories is alongside resource generating plants, waste reuse and energy self-sufficiency, which is the benchmark in the circular economy for water reuse. as well as for its overall positive impact on the environment.
At this General Meeting of Agbar Stakeholders, the commitment to the company’s social activities was also discussed, with an emphasis on promoting quality employment in the first place. In this sense, Manuel Cermerón, CEO of AgbarY Matías Carnero, President of UGT Catalunyamaintained a dialogue on promotion. green jobs and emphasized the importance of Dual Vocational Training to increase employability. Also included in the dialogue Pablo Gallardo, employee of Viaqua, He joined this Agbar group company in Galicia after completing the Dual Vocational Training course specializing in the water sector. Likewise, the event emphasized that the commitment to quality employment also covers the suppliers with which Agbar works.
On the other hand, at the event, it was shared how the Agbar group continues to overcome barriers in customer service with the Contigo program, which focuses on ensuring that all customers without exception can access services, especially when it comes to people. in sensitive situations, identifying digital, understanding, accessibility or economic barriers.
Likewise, the progress of the OLA project, a project initiated by Agbar with the Red Cross, first in Barcelona and now in other parts of the region, was shared. They shared the progress of the project in this area Felipe Campos, CEO of Aigües de Barcelonatogether Antoni Bruel, Coordinator of the Spanish Red Cross Y Josep Quitet, president of Creu Roja CatalunyaThose who highlight how the OLA project empowers people through job placements.
commitment to management
In the last block of the Agbar Stakeholders General Assembly, the Group’s commitment to governance was deepened and, in particular, the example of the Agbar Social Pact, proposing a green and inclusive restructuring by district after COVID-19. cooperation between local governments and organisations. On the one hand, Lluïsa Moret, mayor of Sant Boi de Llobregat and Head of the Equality and Sustainability Department of the Barcelona City Councildetailed some of the specific actions being carried out in the municipality to improve people’s quality of life. Latter, José Manuel Baltar, President of the Diputacion de Ourenseshared how cooperation between business and management allows small municipalities to promote the development of the region. Another example of the capillarity of social contracts shared at the event is the San Fernando Social Pact (Cádiz), awarded by the Andalusian Federation of Municipalities and Provinces.
Regarding the relevance of alliances with institutions, the event also highlighted the Agbar Chair Network project as a success story, as announced, a project in collaboration with public and private universities across the country. Amelia Pérez, Head of Aquae, Agbar Network of Water Chairsmakes it possible to contribute to an ecological and just transition.
He also attended the event to advance accountability and ESG indicators, which are key to this goal. Jaime Silos, Corporate Development Director, ForéticaAgbar’s accountability indicators also analyze what are the most used in the industry and explain how management based on ESG criteria facilitates the identification of key challenges and making decisions.
Same way, Toni Aira, journalist, Professor of Communications and Agbar Board MemberHe explained how the council enabled progress in a good governance model, which is key to building trust and anticipating risks.
In short, this new edition of the Agbar Stakeholders General Assembly, in line with the meeting held in June last year, reinforced this tool of accountability and active listening to stakeholders, valuing the active participation of the different organizations with which the company cooperates. the importance of alliances wherever they may be and to overcome current challenges and continue to jointly take on future commitments.