Naturgy Foundation is launching the third edition of its “Prize for the Best Social Energy Initiative”

The Naturgy Foundation has opened the call for the third edition of its Prize for Best Social Energy Initiative, 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 15 February 2022. 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, entrepreneurship, and others.

The first prize is 60,000 euros and second prize is 30,000 euros. Nominations may be submitted on the Naturgy Foundation website (Premios Fundación Naturgy).

The panel is chaired by Alberto Núñez, S.J., professor of the ESADE General Management and Strategy department, who encourages all social organisations to submit their nominations. “High participation in previous editions of the initiative shows the great dynamism of the social and solidary fabric developed by numerous social organisations, companies and Public Administrations, and their sensitivity to achieving greater inclusion for the most vulnerable people in our society”, said Nuñez.

According to Naturgy Foundation Director General María Eugenia Coronado, “holding the third edition of the awards is especially important at a time marked by the pandemic, which has had an economic and social impact on much of the Spanish population. The private sector must promote these types of initiatives, which aim to fight against energy poverty, and we must bring visibility to the great work of social organisations in our country”.

The panel includes Manuel Bretón, Chairman of the Cáritas Española charity; Llum Delàs, trustee of the Esperanza Foundation; Salvador García-Atance, Chairman of the Lealtad 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; Javier Senent, President of the Spanish Red Cross; Gustavo Suárez Pertierra, President of the UNICEF Spanish Committee; the Deputy Chairman of the Naturgy Foundation, Jordi Garcia Tabernero, and its general manager, María Eugenia Coronado.

A total of nearly 150 nominations were submitted to the first two editions of this prize. The initiatives Ni un hogar sin energía (No home without energy) by Fundación Ecología y Desarrollo (Ecodes), and Enchufados al empleo (Plugged into employment), were the winners, and the programmes Educación Financiera Familiar y Pobreza Energética (Family Financial Education and Energy Poverty) by the Isadora Duncan single-parent family foundation, and Generando futuro (Generating future) by Asociación Norte Joven, took second prize.