The Naturgy volunteers and Reynés take stock of the year with 4,000 vulnerable families assisted and over 6,600 working hours dedicated to social action across the world

Today, the Naturgy volunteers and the chairman of the company, Francisco Reynés, held a video conference to review the year, which was marked by the Covid-19 public health crisis and the significant effort of employees to accompany, advise and assist vulnerable groups across the world.

The chairman of the company, Francisco Reynés, communicated the company's thanks for their commitment and dedication to alleviating vulnerability, as well as promoting social actions. “From now on, your commitment will be more necessary than ever. The coming months will be extremely tough, not only economically but also socially. In this new world left behind by Covid-19, we are faced with new challenges, new difficulties and new social problems but I am convinced that, as volunteers, you will always be there to assist and collaborate in these complicated moments,” explained Reynés.

The Naturgy energy volunteers in Spain assisted over 4,000 vulnerable families over the last year. Their main tasks include advice for improving energy efficiency conditions in their homes and helping them adopt responsible energy consumption habits. As a result of the checks carried out by the volunteers, 250 energy rehabilitation projects were carried out in homes.

Similarly, the volunteers collaborated on different initiatives associated to the public health emergency, manufacturing over 3,300 items of medical equipment with 3D printing and other materials, which were donated to 30 organisations.

Volunteering during Covid-19

The energy volunteering carried out by the Naturgy Foundation, together with social entities such as the Cruz Roja, has also been adapted to the situation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. In this respect, the on-site programmes have become remote, enabling this line of social action to be maintained and developing other innovative ways of addressing vulnerability.

In Spain, the energy volunteers also held training workshops on energy efficiency, saving and sustainability, in which over 900 children, primarily from vulnerable backgrounds, took part.

Meanwhile, the environmental volunteers held eight work conferences in six protected nature reserves in Spain, which accounted for the recovery of over 1.1 hectares of land. In the last five years of this environmental programme, the volunteers have acted to improve the biodiversity of an area equivalent to 15 football pitches.

6,000 working hours in 2019

Close to 1,100 company volunteers worked throughout the past year on the group’s social and environmental volunteer programmes carried out in Spain, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Panama and the Dominican Republic. In total, 6,600 hours were allocated to these tasks.

Naturgy is immersed in a transformation process to adapt its business to a more sustainable model. That is why the group has redoubled its efforts in environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG), and has created a Sustainability Committee within the board of directors in order to oversee and supervise the company's role with regard to ESG, as well as to strengthen the board’s commitment to these matters.

The corporate volunteering is part of all the social initiatives carried out by the company as part of the Vulnerability Plan implemented in 2017, the first to be implemented by a Spanish energy company. The plan aims to strengthen and systematise the management of vulnerable customers, as well as to enhance collaboration with Third Sector entities and communication with social services.

The Naturgy Foundation is responsible for developing projects that contribute to alleviating energy poverty, alongside social entities and administrations. In addition to the volunteering, these initiatives include the Energy School and the Energy Rehabilitation Solidarity Fund.