·       The global agreement facilitates cooperation for a period of two years in close to 20 countries where both entities operate.

·       Community development and protection of human rights will be promoted  through local economic and social progress, along with support for environmental protection.

·       The two organizations will engage local communities to define their    priorities for sustainable development; support initiatives that ensure this  development; and share information and experiences in order to contribute to the achievement of the SDGs.

Madrid/New York, August 13- Repsol and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have signed a global agreement that facilitates advancement of sustainable development in close to 20-plus countries where both the entities operate. This is the first global agreement between UNDP and a company from the oil and gas sector.

The agreement will foster collaboration in support of community development and the protection of human rights, through initiatives that promote local economic and social progress as well as respect for the environment. As such, the partnership will support local communities in their efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“We are committed to support countries engaged in the sustainable use of natural resources to transform their wealth into sustainable development”, said Marcos Neto, Director of the global UNDP Istanbul International Center on Private Sector in Development. “This involves working closely with companies in these industries to align their investments with the Sustainable Development Goals. This global partnership with Repsol is an exciting opportunity to do this at scale,” he further added.

“Repsol considers sustainable development to be one of the company’s global goals, and the agreement with UNDP demonstrates our high standards,” said Fernando Ruiz, Director of Sustainability at Repsol. “With this important partnership with the United Nations, we go one step further in our commitment to the local communities and environments in the countries where we are present,” he added.

The collaboration between Repsol and UNDP has an initial duration of two years and identifies four areas of work— exchange of information and analysis to identify potential collaborative projects; engage community stakeholders in participatory dialogue to define local development priorities; support concrete projects that ensure sustainable development; and sharing of knowledge and experiences of how the extractive industries can support towards the achievement of the SDGs.

This is not the first time the two organizations have collaborated. They have already worked together on projects including a water access program in La Guajira and a community development initiative in Cartagena (Colombia) and an initiative to support local communities in Libya.

With the signing of this agreement, the basis of their cooperation will become global. Currently, the international operations of Repsol and UNDP have the following countries in common: Algeria, Aruba, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Gabon, Guyana, Indonesia, Iraq, Libya, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco,  Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela and Vietnam.

About Repsol

Repsol is a global company, present across the entire energy value chain. It is active in 37 countries and employs more than 25,000 people, and its products are sold all over the world. It produces some 700,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day, and has one of Europe’s most efficient refining systems, capable of processing over one million barrels of crude oil daily. Repsol distributes and sells fuels and lubricants through its more than 4,700 service stations in Spain, Portugal, Peru, Italy, and Mexico. In addition, it is the largest player in Spain’s liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) market. The company is well-positioned for the energy transition with its focus on developing production of gas, low-carbon businesses and a multi-energy offering for consumers. In terms of technology—one of the pillars of the company—its cutting-edge projects in various fields have made it a point of reference for innovation, sustainability, and efficiency in the energy industry.

About UNDP

UNDP partners with people at all levels of society to help build nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of growth that improves the quality of life for everyone. On the ground in nearly 170 countries and territories, we offer global perspective and local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations.

Media Queries:

At Repsol, Communication Executive Managing Division, prensa@repsol.com, Tel. +34 91 753 87 87, www.repsol.com

At UNDP- Sangita Khadka, Communications Specialist, New York, email: sangita.khadka@undp.org , Tel: +1 212 906 5043