Iberdrola España and ANFACO-CECOPESCA sign an agreement that will facilitate the decarbonisation and sustainability of the entire industrial fishing chain

• ANFACO-CECOPESCA has signed an agreement with the Spanish electricity company by which the 255 companies - associated with this cluster of the marine-industry chain that wish to do so - will receive personalised advice on how to reduce their carbon footprint by implementing decarbonisation solutions adapted to their industrial processes.
• Iberdrola España will also make its GGE (Global Green Employment) platform available to members, which focuses its activity on the dissemination of green jobs. Through this portal, any citizen can consult the demand for professionals in this sector and access information on all jobs worldwide. 
• The associated fish and seafood processing and preservation sector has, in Spain, an annual turnover of more than 11,600 million euros and supports over 24,000 jobs.

We are in a global context where sustainability, the fight against climate changeExternal link, opens in new window.  and the protection of biodiversity are unavoidable imperatives. In this regard, Iberdrola España and ANFACO-CECOPESCA, - an organisation that brings together 255 companies in the marine-industry chain (processing, conservation and marketing of fishery and aquaculture products in Spain) - have joined forces in a commitment to promote the green transition in line with the entire fishing sector. This joint effort reflects the determination of both entities to promote responsible practices aligned with the SDGs and contribute to building a more environmentally friendly future. Through the agreement signed, Iberdrola undertakes to offer Anfaco-Cecopesca members who request it a customised study focused on finding solutions for decarbonisation and sustainability in their industrial products, such as industrial electrification and green heat, the use of hydrogen, electric mobility, the possibility of photovoltaic generation facilities, 100% renewable energy supply and the development of smart industrial and business spaces, among others. The signing was attended by Alfonso Calderón, Commercial Director of Iberdrola Clientes España, and Roberto Alonso, Secretary General of ANFACO-CECOPESCA.

The maritime and fishing industry plays an essential role in the global economy, but also faces significant challenges related to decarbonisation and sustainability. The green transition implies a transformation with the adoption of practices that reduce the carbon footprint and promote energy efficiency, fighting the climate threat and protecting marine biodiversity. During the event, Alfonso Calderón stressed that "the signing of the agreement is another example of Iberdrola's commitment to accompanying the industrial sector in the process towards decarbonisation, in this specific case the industrial canning and seafood processing sector, offering 100% renewable electrification solutions in its processing and conservation activities". 

For its part, ANFACO-CECOPESCA, as a representative entity of the sea-industry chain, recognises the need to lead this change towards sustainability always through dialogue, as it stated last July with its adhesion to the Galician Climate Alliance and the Spanish Business and Biodiversity Initiative (IEEB), or its membership of the United Nations Global Compact. In addition to the above, there are recurring projects in circular economy and the recovery of by-products, towards the concept of zero waste.  Roberto Alonso stressed in this regard that "the current challenges of our activity linked to the sea require strong alliances, such as this one, that share common objectives to mobilise sustainable actions for the benefit of the industrial fabric and society, with entities such as ANFACO-CECOPESCA being agents of positive change in the creation of opportunities".

Employment opportunities

The content of the agreement between Iberdrola España and ANFACO-CECOPESCA also specifies that the energy company, as one of the world's leading companies in the green energy transition, sustainability and the promotion of renewable energies, together with solutions for the decarbonisation of the economy, is also one of the vectors of dynamisation and promotion of job opportunities in these areas, which is why it offers all associated companies the possibility of joining the Global Green Employement (GGE) platform. This programme focuses its activity on the dissemination of green jobs, so that these fish processing and preservation firms will be able to boost employability through the visibility of their green job vacancies. This will also be done with a rigorous and permanent respect at all times of the partners' control over the management of these job opportunities.

ANFACO-CECOPESCA's agreement with Iberdrola España will allow the electricity company chaired by Ignacio Galán to provide green energy to ANFACO-CECOPESCA members who are interested, as a global leader in the defence of the environment and the promotion of clean energy and access to it for its customers. This energy comes from renewable energy sources as established by the European Directive, sources that avoid the emission of gases that cause the so-called greenhouse effect in the atmosphere. This fact allows giving an environmental added value to the brands and products that opt for this supply, which is a boost for consumers to position themselves in a market in which this - the reduction or total elimination of the carbon footprint - is a positive differential value with a growing social trend. In addition, Iberdrola will study the improvement of the economic conditions of the electricity supply of interested members, optimising the contracting of electrical power, so that customers opt for the most profitable network access tariff in each case.

In short, this agreement will enable collaboration between the two entities to be promoted for the benefit of the new challenges arising from the green transition, the key lever of which comes from the blue transition and its interaction with the oceans. Precisely, concern for the oceans reflects the joint commitment between Iberdrola and ANFACO-CECOPESCA as a starting point for building a more sustainable future without compromising current fishing activity.