Iberdrola: The World's Most Sustainable Energy Company
Spanish energy company Iberdrola has been named on CDP's A List for the fifth consecutive year, placing it among an elite group of organisations acknowledged for environmental transparency and climate performance.
The accolade positions Iberdrola in the top 4% of more than 22,100 companies evaluated worldwide by CDP, an international organisation that manages one of the globe's foremost independent environmental disclosure platforms.
CDP, a global not-for-profit entity, assesses businesses through a comprehensive methodology that scrutinises published data quality, risk management practices and the implementation of environmental and climate best practices.
Annual ratings range from A to D-, with A List status representing the top achievable grade.
This framework is utilised by corporations, capital markets, cities, states and regions for environmental impact management, establishing CDP's assessments as a significant benchmark for investors and financial markets.
Neoenergia, Iberdrola's Brazilian subsidiary, secured double recognition on the A List for climate and water management performance.
Renewable energy infrastructure expansion
Iberdrola's environmental standing is supported by considerable renewable energy infrastructure investment.
The company has committed over US$105bn to renewable energy, achieving 45,263MW of operational renewable capacity by the end of the first nine months of 2025.
This reflects consistent growth from 41,246MW documented in 2023, representing a 6.5% year-on-year rise.
The company targets carbon neutrality for Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030, with net zero emissions across all scopes planned before 2040.
Its renewable assets encompass offshore and onshore wind, solar photovoltaic, hydroelectric generation and developing technologies such as green hydrogen.
Through ScottishPower, its subsidiary, Iberdrola became the first integrated energy company in the UK to generate 100% green electricity, operating more than 3,000MW of installed wind capacity.
Green bond issuance leadership
Iberdrola has positioned itself as the world's largest green bond issuer, utilising this financial mechanism to support environmentally sustainable initiatives.
In 2014, the company became Spain's first to issue a green bond, and in 2021 it completed the largest hybrid green bond offering in history, valued at US$2.1bn.
During 2024 alone, Iberdrola raised US$7.19bn through multiple green bond issuances across various currencies and markets, including a US$689m 12-year green bond that attracted over 140 investors.
A US$864m hybrid green bond issued in 2024 was oversubscribed 3.75 times, generating US$3.17bn in demand from more than 200 international investors.
"As a leading green bond issuer and renewable developer, Iberdrola supports sustainable finance to accelerate the energy transition, as well as any initiative to tackle climate change," says Ignacio Galán, Executive Chairman of the Iberdrola Group.
Proceeds from these instruments are directed towards renewable energy projects, smart grid infrastructure and energy storage systems, with allocations verified by independent bodies.
Research and development investment
Iberdrola's sustainability approach extends to research and development, where it ranks as the world's leading private utility company in R&D expenditure according to the European Commission.
In 2024, the company invested more than US$420m in innovation, targeting more than US$7bn in cumulative investment by 2030.
The company maintains multiple innovation facilities globally, including centres in Bilbao, Qatar, Curitiba and San Agustín de Guadalix, concentrating on smart grid technology, renewable energy integration and power system digitalisation.
Iberdrola works with over 115 partner organisations and companies through its Global Smart Grids Innovation Hub in Bilbao alone, engaging 200 professionals and identifying 120 projects.
Research focus areas include disruptive technologies for renewable generation, energy storage solutions, smart grid advancement and the electrification of transport, heating and industrial sectors.
The company has established collaborations with prominent universities including Yale, MIT, the University of Strathclyde and the Tecnológico de Monterrey through its Iberdrola Universities Programme.
Beyond CDP's A List, Iberdrola appears in major international sustainability indices including Dow Jones Best-in-Class World & Europe, MSCI, Sustainalytics, ISS-ESG, EcoVadis and FTSE4Good.
The company holds its position as the leading European electricity company by market capitalisation and the second globally.
Its strategic focus reflects a wider movement towards what the company characterises as a safer, cleaner, more resilient and competitive economy through electrification.
The CDP acknowledgement arrives as international scrutiny of corporate environmental performance intensifies, with investors increasingly channelling capital towards organisations demonstrating robust climate strategies and transparent reporting practices.
