The presentation of the III Endecan Awards culminates with loud applause and unanimous recognition for the winning initiatives, people, and projects

Endesa celebrated its III Endecan Awards gala this Wednesday, 10 December, with which the company recognises the merits of people, companies, and institutions whose work and professionalism have stood out in areas such as sustainability, biodiversity, research, sport, culture, and solidarity.  

This third edition of the Endecan Awards, a name derived from blending Endesa and Canarias (Canary Islands), held its awards gala at the Hotel Santa Catalina in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. It was attended, in addition to members of the jury and the winners, by Julieta Schallenberg, Deputy Minister of Ecological Transition of the Government of the Canary Islands, the mayors of Agüimes, Artenara, and Santa Cruz de La Palma, as well as senior Endesa executives, including Juan María Moreno, General Director of Energy Management and Commodities at Endesa, who on this occasion also chaired the awards jury; Pablo Casado, Territorial Director of Endesa in the Canary Islands; María Lacasa, General Director of Communication at Endesa for Spain and Portugal; Carlos Piza, Head of Press and Content at Endesa, and Arancha Cuadrado, Head of Media Planning at Endesa, among others.

The ceremony filled the Las Palmeras hall to maximum capacity with the winners' family and friends. The high-profile event also drew representatives from the Canarian business and political sectors, as well as members of the islands' wider society.

The gala was hosted by Antonio Cacereño, director of Club La Provincia, while the General Director of Energy Management and Commodities and President of the Jury, Juan María Moreno, opened the event highlighting the importance of these awards and Endesa's involvement in the Canary Islands. 'In these three editions, we have had the privilege of knowing inspiring stories, of rewarding exemplary careers, and shining a light on transformative projects that truly deserve to be shared and celebrated,' he noted. And he added that 'Endesa has been committed to the Canary Islands for more than 80 years, not only as an energy engine but as an active part of its social and economic development and wants to recognise the best of this land, which is a lot.'

The night’s top honours were distributed across eight categories, beginning with the Endecan Award for Sustainability, which went to the Lanzarote Island Council for its climate-resilient conservation of the La Geria landscape. In the realm of environmental protection, the Gran Canaria Island Council received the Endecan Award for Biodiversity for its 'firefighting' livestock initiative, while the Mancomunidad del Sureste de Gran Canaria was named the Bluest Municipality for its innovative clean energy and water purification projects. The awards also celebrated human and social excellence, honouring the Peritoneal Dialysis Unit at Dr. Negrín Hospital with the Endecan Award for Scientific Talent for its compassionate patient care. Solidarity and inclusion were central themes as the Artenara City Council won the Endecan Award for Solidarity for its welcoming of migrant children, and the Gran Canaria Basketball Club’s Suma Project earned the Endecan Award for Equality and Overcoming for its work with children with disabilities. Finally, the Endecan Award for Sport was presented to Carla Suárez for her legendary tennis career, and the La Palma Island Council accepted the Endecan Award for Culture in recognition of the 'Descent of the Virgin of las Nieves,' a landmark tradition blending faith, art, and heritage.

Before proceeding to the awards ceremony, a round table titled ‘The other energy’ took place, moderated by Delia Jiménez, Head of Communication for Endesa Canary Islands. Some of the winners intervened alongside her to explain the importance of the different projects. Participants included Dr. Patricia Pérez from the Nephrology Service of the Doctor Negrín Hospital in Gran Canaria; Paco Fabelo, technician from the Environment Department of the Lanzarote Island Council; the shepherdess Idaira Hernández; the Mayor of Artenara, Jesús Díaz; the technical director and visionary behind the Suma project, Javier Choren, and one of the basketball players who is part of the initiative, Mari Pino Sánchez.

All thanked the recognition and clearly explained some details of the winning projects, but the show was stolen by Mari Pino, whose poise and charisma as she thanked the coaches drew repeated rounds of applause.

After the round table, the ceremony had a special moment of recognition for Endesa workers in the non-capital islands, particularly La Palma and Lanzarote. The ceremony highlighted the 'essential and often invisible' role of these professionals, whose dedication has extended the operational life of legacy generating units. Though these systems are ageing, they remain fully functional, continuing to provide vital power to thousands of residents. In La Palma, for instance, the power supply relies on six generating units with nearly 50 years of service. These units have clocked a combined 235,000 operational hours—the equivalent of 27 years of continuous running—and remarkably continue to deliver reliable performance

Finally, the awards ceremony arrived, and one by one the winners were called to collect their statuette in a massive ceremony charged with emotion, gratitude, pride, and recognition for each and every one of the projects and people recognised by these awards.

Thus, Julieta Schallenberg, Deputy Minister of Ecological Transition of the Government of the Canary Islands, presented the Endecan Award for Biodiversity to shepherdess Idaira Hernández, on behalf of the shepherds of the Mosaico project and the Gran Canaria Island Council for the use of firefighting goats and sheep.

Carlos Medina, Dean of the College of Industrial Engineers of Eastern Canary Islands, presented the Endecan for Sustainability to Samuel Martín, Councillor for the Environment of the Lanzarote Island Council, for the protection of the La Geria landscape.

Juan María Moreno, General Director of Energy Management and Commodities and President of the Jury, presented the Endecan for the Bluest Municipality to Óscar Hernández, Mayor of Agüimes, who attended on behalf of the Mancomunidad del Sureste. 'The challenge has been achieved thanks to the fact that the objectives have always been above personal and political discrepancies,' he noted.

Pablo Casado, Territorial Director of Endesa in the Canary Islands, presented the Endecan for Scientific Talent to Patricia Pérez, from the Nephrology Unit of the Dr. Negrín Hospital. Javier Bolaños, journalist for La Provincia/El Día, presented the Endecan for Solidarity to Jesús Díaz, Mayor of Artenara, who acknowledged that 'the most important thing is to give children a dignified life' and that thanks to them the municipality 'has filled with joy.'

Next, María Lacasa, General Director of Communication at Endesa for Spain and Portugal, presented, with a great ovation from those present, the Endecan for Equality and Overcoming to Sitapha Savané, President of the Gran Canaria Basketball Club, and to Javier Choren, technical director and visionary behind the Suma project.

The Endecan Award for Sport was presented by Arancha Cuadrado, Head of Media Planning at Endesa, to Dolores Navarro, mother of Carla Suárez.

And finally, the Endecan for Culture was presented by Carlos Pizá, Head of Press and Content at Endesa, to Asier Antona, Mayor of Santa Cruz de La Palma, for the Descent of the Virgin of las Nieves. 'The Virgin is a symbol of unity and of cultural and artistic wealth,' he recalled.

To culminate the gala, Pablo Casado, Territorial Director of Endesa in the Canary Islands, took the floor and closed the event to give way to the final cocktail party. 'I am leaving very happy because among the winners I have seen a lot of talent, leadership, and a lot of human quality,' he acknowledged before closing the event.

Delia Jiménez, Endesa’s Head of Communication in the Canary Islands, underscored the deep-rooted ties between the company and the Archipelago, reaffirming Endesa's commitment to the local community.  'We are the only operator to submit projects for nearly all the smaller islands in the renewal tender,' she noted. 'We recognise that we provide an essential service, and we are fully committed to our presence here.'

Awards Jury

The jury for this edition of the Endecan Awards was chaired by Juan María Moreno, General Director of Energy Management and Commodities at Endesa, and included Javier Bolaños, journalist for the newspaper La Provincia; Leticia Díaz, presenter and journalist at Atlántico Televisión; Carlos Medina, Dean of the Official College of Industrial Engineers of the eastern islands; Jesús Artemio González, Dean of the College of Industrial Engineers of Santa Cruz de Tenerife; Arancha Cuadrado, Head of Media Planning at Endesa; Carlos Lafoz, Director of Distribution at Endesa in the Canary Islands; and Delia Jiménez, Head of Communication for Endesa in the Canary Islands.

In their final deliberations, the jury concluded that the winners of the III Endecan Awards were deserving of this honor for their undeniable contribution to the advancement of the Canary Islands. Their work fosters a society that is more environmentally respectful, inclusive, and diverse, while promoting greater development and the core values of sport and culture.

Details of the winners

Lanzarote Island Council, for the La Geria Landscape

For being an example of agricultural sustainability and adaptation to climate change in a unique landscape that is also a tribute to generations of farmers.

Firefighting goats and sheep

This initiative of the Gran Canaria Island Council compensates shepherds for their work in fire prevention.

Mancomunidad del Sureste

To the municipalities of Ingenio, Agüimes, and Santa Lucía de Tirajana, for their determined commitments and innovative projects for desalination and water purification with clean energy.

Peritoneal Dialysis Unit of the Dr. Negrín Hospital

For achieving excellence in catheter placement and improving the lives of thousands of hemodialysis patients.

Artenara City Council: inclusion of migrant children

For the warm welcome extended to migrant minors, whose presence has, in turn, breathed new life into this rural area of Gran Canaria.

Suma Project

A collaborative initiative of the Gran Canaria Basketball Club, Down Las Palmas, Somos TEA, and the AMPA of Las Tederas Primary School, using basketball as a tool for inclusion and personal development for children and young people with disabilities.

Carla Suárez

For being the only Canarian tennis player capable of earning a place among the best athletes in Spain and the world in recent years.

La Palma Island Council, for the Descent of the Virgin

For being the main festive and religious manifestation of the island, combining faith, heritage, and a rich popular culture preserved with great dedication.

About Endesa

Endesa is the leading electricity company in Spain and the second largest in Portugal. It is also the second largest gas operator in the Spanish market. Endesa operates an integrated business model spanning electricity generation, distribution, and supply. Furthermore, the company offers value-added services focused on the electrification of energy use for households, businesses, and public administrations. Endesa is committed to the United Nations’ SDGs and corporate social responsibility. In the latter area, it also operates through the Endesa Foundation. Our team comprises around 9,000 employees. Endesa is part of Enel.