Naturgy Foundation is launching the fifth edition of its “Best Social Energy Initiative Award”

The Naturgy Foundation has opened the call for the fourth edition of its Best Social Energy Initiative Award, which aims to raise the profile of people, organisations and institutions that stand out in the social sector for their energy-related projects.

The deadline for submitting nominations is 1 March 2024. The call is open to all ongoing or completed projects involving social improvements related to energy in the fields of environment, health, education, vulnerability, social inclusion and entrepreneurship, among others. Projects must be undertaken in Spain.

The first prize is €60,000 and second is €30,000. Interested parties may submit their applications through the Naturgy Foundation’s website (Naturgy Foundation Awards).

The panel judging the award is chaired by Manuel Bretón, Chairman of Caritas Española, who remarked, “With each edition, we encounter projects that are increasingly innovative and dedicated to supporting vulnerable individuals and caring for our planet. The quality of the submissions is exceptionally high. As the panel chairman, I take great pleasure in the social and environmental commitment demonstrated by our country and the support that the Naturgy Foundation provides to these compelling initiatives through this award”.

Naturgy Foundation General Manager María Eugenia Coronado said, “it is a great satisfaction to have reached the fifth edition of this award, conceived within the framework of the collaborative network that the foundation maintains with social organisations, enabling us to discover the impactful work undertaken by these agents to address energy vulnerability in our country”.

The members of the panel, chaired by Mr Bretón, are Alberto Núñez, S.J., Professor in the Department of General Management and Strategy at ESADE; Llum Delàs, trustee of the Esperanza Foundation; Father Ángel García Rodríguez, Chairman of Mensajeros de la Paz (Messengers of Peace); Juan José López Burniol, Deputy Chairman of the ‘la Caixa’ Banking Foundation; Josep Ramoneda, Director of the European School of Humanities in Barcelona; Elena Salgado, Chair of the Spanish Consultancy Firms Association; María del Mar Pageo, President of the Spanish Red Cross; Gustavo Suárez Pertierra, President of UNICEF Spanish Committee; the deputy chairman of the Naturgy Foundation, Jordi Garcia Tabernero, and its general manager, María Eugenia Coronado.

Over 200 submissions

A total of over 260 entries, with nearly 825,000 beneficiaries, contended for this award throughout the first four editions. Previous winning initiatives were “Ni un hogar sin energía” (No home without power) by the Ecology and Development Foundation (Ecodes), “Enchufados al empleo” (Plugged in to employment) by the Exit Foundation, “Contribuir a la mejora social de los más vulnerables en España, a través de la formación y el acceso a la energía” (Fostering social improvement for the most vulnerable in Spain through education and facilitating access to energy) by Energy without Borders, and the extensive project by the Spanish Red Cross addressing individuals at extreme risk of poverty and exclusion.

In the Runner-up category, acknowledgment was given to programmes such as “Educación Financiera Familiar y Pobreza Energética” (Financial literacy for families and energy poverty) by the Isadora Duncan Foundation for Single-Parent Families, “Generando futuro” (Generating the future) by the Norte Joven Association, “Ayuda integral a la vulnerabilidad energética” (Holistic support for energy vulnerability) by the Roure Foundation, and “Primera reshogar sostenible de España con certificado Passivhaus para personas con discapacidad” (First sustainable shelter in Spain with Passivhaus certification for people with disabilities) by CÍRVITE-Plena Inclusión.