We have expanded the list of climate policies we assess company engagement with to incorporate land-use related policy, referring to legislative or regulatory measures to enhance and protect ecosystems and land where carbon is being stored. Assessments under this category are currently underweighted in terms of their contribution to the overall company metrics. This weighting will be progressively increased over the next 6 months.
We adjusted the terminology used to describe the queries running down the left-hand side of our scoring matrix and added additional explanatory text to the info-boxes. This has no impact on the scores and methodology. It has been done following user feedback to improve clarity.
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
A senior executive at Iberdrola is Vice-Chairman of CLG Europe
Gonzalo Sáenz de Miera
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Iberdrola is a member of the Corporate Leaders Group (CLG)
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
A senior executive at Iberdrola is Vice-Chairman of CLG Europe
Gonzalo Sáenz de Miera
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Iberdrola is a member of the Corporate Leaders Group (CLG)
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
Iberdrola senior executive on the board of WindEurope (correct as of July 2022)
Estanislao Rey-Baltar Boogen
--no extract--
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
A senior Executive of a subsidiary of Iberdrola is a board member of WindEurope
Juan Rivier
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
Iberdrola senior executive on the board of WindEurope (correct as of July 2022)
Estanislao Rey-Baltar Boogen
--no extract--
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
A senior Executive of a subsidiary of Iberdrola is a board member of WindEurope
Juan Rivier
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
A senior executive of Iberdrola is on the board of SolarPower Europe (Correct as of July 2022)
Estanislao Rey-Baltar Boogen
--no extract--
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
Iberdrola is a member of SolarPower Europe through its subsidiary Iberdrola Renovables Energia SA
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
A subsidiary of Iberdrola is a member of SolarPower Europe
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
A senior executive of Iberdrola is on the board of SolarPower Europe (Correct as of July 2022)
Estanislao Rey-Baltar Boogen
--no extract--
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
Iberdrola is a member of SolarPower Europe through its subsidiary Iberdrola Renovables Energia SA
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
A subsidiary of Iberdrola is a member of SolarPower Europe
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
A subsidiary of Iberdrola, Ibadrola Australia, is a member of the Australian Energy Council. Iberdrola Australia's CEO is also a representative on the board of directors (AEC website, up to date July 2022)
Ross Rolfe
--no extract--
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
A subsidiary of Iberdrola, Ibadrola Australia, is a member of the Australian Energy Council. Iberdrola Australia's CEO is also a representative on the board of directors (AEC website, up to date July 2022)
Ross Rolfe
--no extract--
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
Iberdrola lists membership to Eurelectric in its 2021 sustainability report, but is not listed on the Eurelectric member page (correct as of July 2022)
not specified
--no extract--
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
Iberdrola listed membership of Eurelectric in 2018 in their Sustainability report, and in its 2021 CDP Climate Change Information Request
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
Iberdrola has a subsidiary that is an indirect member of Eurelectric through BDEW (Correct as of Jan 2022)
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
Iberdrola has stated that Eurelectric's position on climate change is of "mixed" consistency with its own
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
Iberdrola is a member of Eurelectic
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
Iberdrola lists membership to Eurelectric in its 2021 sustainability report, but is not listed on the Eurelectric member page (correct as of July 2022)
not specified
--no extract--
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
Iberdrola listed membership of Eurelectric in 2018 in their Sustainability report, and in its 2021 CDP Climate Change Information Request
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
Iberdrola has a subsidiary that is an indirect member of Eurelectric through BDEW (Correct as of Jan 2022)
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
Iberdrola has stated that Eurelectric's position on climate change is of "mixed" consistency with its own
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
Iberdrola is a member of Eurelectic
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Chairman of Iberdrola subsidiary Scottish Power is Vice-President of CEOE (November 2022)
Íñigo Fernández de Mesa
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Iberdrola is a member of CEOE (Correct as of July 2022)
not specified
--no extract--
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Chairman of Iberdrola subsidiary Scottish Power is Vice-President of CEOE (November 2022)
Íñigo Fernández de Mesa
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Iberdrola is a member of CEOE (Correct as of July 2022)
not specified
--no extract--
In this section, we depict graphically the relationships the corporation has with trade associations, federations, advocacy groups and other third parties who may be acting on their behalf to influence climate change policy. Each of the columns above represents one relationship the corporation appears to have with such a third party. In these columns, the top, dark section represents the strength of the relationship the corporation has with the influencer. For example if a corporation's senior executive also held a key role in the trade association, we would deem this to be a strong relationship and it would be on the far left of the chart above, with the weaker ones to the right. Click on these grey shaded upper sections for details of these relationships. The middle section contains a link to the organization score details of the influencer concerned, so you can see the details of its climate change policy influence. Click on the middle sections for for details of the trade associations. The lower section contains the organization score of that influencer, the lower the more negatively it is influencing climate policy.
Climate Lobbying Overview: Iberdrola is supportive of ambitious action on climate change, and has engaged positively on climate-related regulation in the EU and globally. In particular, the company has actively lobbied for greater ambition across a range of EU-level climate policies covering energy, transport, and industrial sectors.
Top-line Messaging on Climate Policy: Iberdrola strongly supports climate action in its top-line messaging. Iberdrola has consistently supported a 2050 climate neutrality target for the EU, including in a February 2022 EU consultation response where Iberdrola described the ‘Fit for 55 Package’ as a “unique opportunity to set a proper regulatory framework” to meet EU climate targets. In an October 2021 joint letter, the company supported more ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions at COP26, and stronger ambition for global carbon markets under Article 6 of the UN Paris Agreement.
Engagement with Climate-Related Regulations: Iberdrola has actively and positively lobbied on numerous strands of EU climate policy to promote ambitious climate action. The company has consistently supported an increased 55% 2030 EU GHG target, for example, in a July 2021 joint letter signed by the CEO Ignacio Galán. In a November 2021 EU public consultation response, Iberdrola supported increased ambition in the EU’s Energy Efficiency Directive reform. The company supported a renewable energy target of at least 40% by 2030, and supported the introduction of targets for renewable hydrogen in a November 2021 consultation response. In a July 2022 letter to the EU Commission, the company advocated for stringent criteria for renewable hydrogen production within an ambitious Renewable Energy Directive Delegated Act. In a May 2022 EU public consultation response, Iberdrola supported a 2035 zero-emissions CO2 target for cars and vans in the EU.
In 2021-22, Iberdrola appears to have supported ambitious reforms to the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) in numerous EU public consultation responses. This includes advocating for a more ambitious emission reduction target of 61% by 2030, increasing the Linear Reduction Factor, strengthening the Market Stability Reserve, and expanded sector coverage in a November 2021 EU public consultation response. Iberdrola’s US subsidiary Avangrid has been supportive of US state-level emissions trading, specifically in March 2021 it supported Connecticut’s Transportation and Climate Initiative Program in its testimony on Senate Bill 884. In a November 2021 EU public consultation response, Iberdrola appeared to support the EU’s carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) with some exceptions, as it advocated for a gradual phase out of existing carbon leakage protections without providing a specified timeframe, and supported some form of export rebates.
Positioning on Energy Transition: Iberdrola has strongly supported measures to transition the energy mix, and has advocated for an expansion of renewables to diversify the EU energy mix and reduce fossil gas consumption. In April 2022 feedback to the EU Commission on the EU Hydrogen and Gas Decarbonisation Market Package, Iberdrola advocated for fossil gas-based hydrogen to be excluded from a definition of low-carbon hydrogen even if combined with carbon capture technologies. In several joint letters in 2021-2022, Iberdrola stated support for the development of solar PV and wind technologies to transition the energy mix, while supporting a phase out of fossil fuels subsidies. CEO Ignacio Galán also signed a joint letter in May 2022 that stated that “we should not build costly fossil fuel infrastructure that we will then have to phase out” and that “the time is right for a shift at scale away from gas boilers.”
In a November 2021 legislative consultation response, the company advocated for the reform of the EU’s Energy Taxation Directive to align with the EU’s other climate objectives, calling the taxation transition period for fossil fuels excessive and unjustifiable, while it advocated for renewable hydrogen to be differentiated from other low-carbon technologies. Iberdrola’s US subsidiary Avangrid specifically advocated support for Connecticut Senate Bill 882 requiring the state to decarbonize the electricity supply by 2040 in its March 2021 testimony. However, in a March 2020 testimony, the company opposed Connecticut House Bill 5350 which limited the expansion of fossil gas infrastructure in the state.
Industry Association Governance: Iberdrola fully disclosed all of its membership of industry associations in its 2021 Sustainability Report, but without providing further details on the company’s role within each association’s governing bodies, nor the company’s influence over climate policy positions. Iberdrola has not published a review of its industry associations. Iberdrola’s Director of Climate Change is Vice-Chairman of Corporate Leaders Group Europe, and senior executives are on the board of SolarPower Europe and WindEurope, which are positively engaged with EU climate policy. However, the company is also a member of Edison Electric Institute and the Spanish Confederation of Business Organizations (CEOE), trade groups with more mixed engagement on climate policy. It is also a member of the American Gas Association, which is negatively engaged on climate policy.
InfluenceMap collects and assesses evidence of corporate climate policy engagement on a weekly basis, depending on the availability of information from each specific data source (for more information see our methodology). While this analysis flows through to the company’s scores each week, the summary above is updated periodically. This summary was last updated in Q1 2023.