We have completed the fourth edition of the Sustainable Suppliers Training Programme, an initiative led by the UN Global Compact Network Spain, ICEX Spain Trade and Investment and the ICO Foundation to strengthen the integration of sustainability across supply chains.

For us, taking part in this programme has been an opportunity to reflect, review how we work and continue embedding sustainability criteria into our development as an organisation and technology provider.

Sustainability is not built on major commitments alone. It also means reviewing how we work, learning and identifying where we can continue to improve.

An initiative with international reach 

The fourth edition brought together more than 6,700 suppliers from 87 countries and over 8,000 professionals, supported by 54 major Spanish companies. The programme’s growth reflects an increasingly visible reality: sustainability is already shaping the requirements, decisions and relationships that define supply chains. 

The initiative aims to provide tools and knowledge to help integrate sustainability into business strategy, with particular emphasis on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Ten Principles of the United Nations Global Compact. 

 

What we covered during the programme 

Throughout the training, we explored topics that help turn broad commitments into a more structured and practical approach to sustainability management: 

  • Key sustainability concepts, global trends and their relationship with business competitiveness. 
  • Identifying, aligning and communicating the Sustainable Development Goals that are priorities for each organisation and sector. 
  • The Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact: human rights, labour standards, the environment and anti-corruption. 
  • Internationalisation, incentives, reporting and impact communication. 
  • Defining a sustainability strategy and setting priorities and objectives. 
  • Carbon footprint, scope 3 emissions and the importance of assessing impact across the value chain. 
  • The circular economy and new ways of incorporating efficiency and sustainability criteria into business models. 

 

Review, learn and keep improving 

One of the most useful lessons has been confirming that sustainability is neither a standalone task nor something that can simply be considered complete. It requires us to review processes, better understand the impact of our activities and keep track of how the expectations of customers, partners and other stakeholders are evolving. 

We work in a sector directly linked to the energy transition and the transformation of electricity distribution networks. Digitalisation can help networks operate more efficiently, make better use of existing assets and support better-informed decision-making. But our responsibility as a company does not end with the technology solutions we develop. 

How we work, how we engage with our value chain and how we incorporate environmental, social and governance criteria into our own activities matter too. 

 

Sustainability is also part of how we want to grow 

As we continue to grow and work with new customers, partners and markets, expectations around sustainability, transparency and responsibility within supply chains are also increasing. 

Completing this programme gives us new tools and criteria to keep moving forward. It is not about claiming that the work is done, but about gaining more knowledge to identify where we can improve and turn that learning into concrete action. 

For us, growing as a technology company also means doing so in an increasingly responsible and sustainable way, aligned with the transformation of the energy sector in which we operate. 

 

Continuing to build a more sustainable value chain.