On November 6th, the 3rd edition of the Iberdrola Awards for Best Practice in International Energy Cooperation was held, where Ferrovial received the award for the project “Water Partnership. Energy for rebuilding peace in the village of El Salado, Colombia.”
This award recognizes Ferrovial’s work in the remodeling and expansion of the El Salado aqueduct system, an innovative, pioneering project in energy efficiency in Colombia that supplies the population daily with quality water by means of a system of solar panels.
The award was presented at the Iberdrola headquarters in Madrid by Mr. Ignacio Galán, President of Iberdrola, and Ms. Aina Calvo, Director of the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.
The Iberdrola Awards
Iberdrola, along with the Sustainability Excellence Club, convened the 3rd Competition in Best Practice in International Energy Cooperation Awards, a biennial ceremony that recognizes entrepreneurship initiatives committed to energy universalization.
The projects presented contribute to ensuring universal access to affordable, sustainable, modern energy services by making use of energy infrastructures and cleaner technologies.
Participants competed in three categories: public enterprise, the tertiary sector, and private companies (in which Ferrovial was awarded).
About the El Salado Project
Within the CSR Social Infrastructures campaign and along with Ayuda en Acción and the Fundación Semana, Ferrovial has promoted a project for the economic recovery and reconstruction of El Salado after the conflict that devastated the population in February 2000, forcing its residents to leave the town.
After a two-year exodus, some of them returned to work on the area’s recovery and to bring its residents back. The drinking water for a decent life initiative has contributed to the restoration by improving the availability of and access to quality water through the installation of a solar photovoltaic pumping system and implementation of an organizational structure for its maintenance and development.
The company wanted to share the El Salado project as an example of reconstruction and peace in Colombia by giving the survivors a voice. To that end, the communication campaign, “El Salado, Peace Through Water” was created with the aim of enhancing each of their real stories by means of a graphic novel that tells the story of El Salado.
The campaign was awarded the ADG Laus Awards and the Ramón del Corral Dircom Awards, as well as for its work related to Corporate Social Responsibility for Development at the 20th CODESPA Awards.
