Endesa is always with our business clients. We make sure that we understand your needs and, in this way, by making the full potential of our technical and commercial teams available to you, we manage to become your energy partner. The logic behind this business approach has always been adding value to our client base, trying to avoid commoditisation in energy contracting and setting us apart from the competition, which has happened in other European markets and has eroded a good part of their commercial value. Let's look at two strategies that illustrate this business approach.
Regarding energy supply, in recent years, many clients in the B2B (business to business) segment have evolved their contracting schemes by opting for formulas indexed to wholesale markets, and specifically to futures markets, thus diversifying times of price fixing. Undoubtedly, choosing these moments of price fixing well is the factor that has the greatest impact on determining the final energy cost of a large consumer, affecting their competitiveness in a very relevant way. This is not a simple task, given the volatility of wholesale markets.
We differentiate ourselves from our competitors in how we help our clients manage this complexity. By 2016, Endesa had already set up the "Energy Room", a team of experts dedicated exclusively to the analysis of energy markets and the ad hoc development of digital tools. This team advises clients in making decisions about closing positions in these futures markets. We become their energy partners and provide clients with a much more professional and advanced management of their contracts to achieve the long-term competitiveness of their businesses.
This whole business strategy is starting to pay off in terms of business. For example, in 2021 we increased our portfolio of contracts with a duration of 5 years or more by more than 4 TWh/a, doubling the energy committed to that term. In addition to the lengthening of commercial relationships, we also managed to capture higher margins for these clients, since the focus on the value for their businesses of our commercial approach means that supplier selection does not focus exclusively on negotiating down intermediation fees.
Faced with new social and environmental challenges, many clients are decisively addressing the decarbonisation of their processes, and more will be in the near future. Specifically, together with Endesa X, we are advising these clients in their decarbonisation processes. This implies a deep understanding of their industrial processes and plans, in order to present technically and economically viable solutions. In this business approach, we also work with our clients on competitiveness and long-term sustainability.
Our B2B business is a consolidated project, with a vision of the future focused on providing value to the client, which allows us to ensure profitable and sustainable growth over time and that is built thanks to the main asset of our company: people.