Elecnor joins the #aliadosdelosODS (SDG allies) campaign promoted by the Spanish Global Compact Network

On the occasion of the fourth anniversary of the adoption of the 2030 Agenda and its 17 SDGs, Elecnor is joining the #aliadosdelosODS campaign to raise awareness of these United Nations Goals, in collaboration with the Spanish Global Compact Network, of which it is a signatory. Based on Elecnor's own commitment to working towards the SDGs, our aim is to contribute by acting as a platform to boost awareness of the Goals to get people working on them.

In 2017, Elecnor joined the UN Global Compact initiative, the world's largest sustainability initiative. Since the adoption of the 2030 Agenda in 2015, in addition to its commitment to advancing the Ten Principles, it has worked to align its corporate management with the SDGs, which helps it to find new business opportunities, improve its relationship with stakeholders and promote innovation.

Accordingly, Elecnor and the Elecnor Foundation have drawn up a series of commitments and good practices in line with their strategies. These include the following:

- The Elecnor Group's Excellence in Safety Project – SDG 3. Good health and well-being

- Celeo initiatives with students from rural schools (Chile) – SDG 4. Quality education

- Audeca's1 waste water purification project – SDG 6. Clean water and sanitation

- The Elecnor Foundation's 'Luces para Aprender' project (Uruguay) – SDG 7. Affordable and clean energy

- The Elecnor Foundation's specialist course in electrical installations – SDG 8. Decent work and economic growth

- The Elecnor Group's Digital Transformation plan – SDG 9. Industry, innovation and infrastructure

- The Elecnor Foundation joining the Board of Patrons of Deusto Cities Labs – SDG 11. Sustainable cities and communities

- The Elecnor Group's climate change strategy – SDG 13. Climate action

- Enerfín's1 bird monitoring plans for wind power projects – SDG 15. Life on land

Rafael Martín de Bustamante Vega, Elecnor CEO, remarked: "At Elecnor, we're conscious of the daily need to work towards achieving the SDGs. As an infrastructure, renewable energy and telecommunications company, we have a strategic role to play in carrying out actions for the common good. Therefore, through both the Group's subsidiaries and the Elecnor Foundation, we have launched various initiatives that encompass the SDGs, both in Spain and the other countries where we operate. Our commitment is firm and we will follow this path to help achieve the goals of the 2030 Agenda".

The #aliadosdelosODS initiative is a communication campaign co-ordinated by the Spanish Global Compact Network. It was launched to coincide with the fourth anniversary of the 2030 Agenda's adoption on 25 September 2015, while the United Nations is holding a major international event to look back on the achievements of these last four years and to launch new initiatives.

Through this type of action, the Spanish Global Compact Network and its member organisations also strive to contribute to the national objective, which was established by the High Commissioner for the 2030 Agenda under the Spanish Presidency, that all citizens be aware of the SDGs by 2020.

Promoting the contribution of companies to sustainable development Four years ago, the 193 member states of the United Nations General Assembly, including Spain, unanimously adopted the 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). "Leaving no one behind" is the crux of the agreement. The SDGs propose to end poverty and hunger, reduce inequalities and address urgent issues such as climate change. In order to achieve this ambitious Agenda, it was agreed that everyone needed to participate: governments, companies, civil society and citizens around the world. The agreement draws its strength from its universality and the ambitious nature of its 169 goals. Achieving these goals will demand an unprecedented effort on the part of all areas of society; and companies have a very important role to play in this regard. Achieving SDGs requires combining momentum provided by the public sector, companies, investors and civil society. For the first time, the United Nations has recognised companies as key players in achieving its overarching objectives, stating: "Private business activity, investment and innovation are major drivers of productivity, inclusive economic growth and job creation... We call on all businesses to apply their creativity and innovation to solving sustainable development challenges." The Spanish Global Compact Network The United Nations Global Compact (UN Global Compact) is an international initiative whose mission is to mobilise a global movement of sustainable companies to create the world we want. It draws its strength from its unrivalled capacity to unite companies with other stakeholders working to promote sustainable development: governments, civil society and the United Nations. With more than 12,500 affiliated companies in over 160 countries, this is the largest initiative for corporate social responsibility in the world. It also has a UN mandate to promote the Sustainable Development Goals in the private sector. The United Nations Global Compact has been operating in Spain through the Spanish Network since 2004. It is the local network with the most signatories and is positioned at the top of the various UN Global Compact networks worldwide. It currently has 1,542 associated companies, of which 669 are partners.