It is undeniable that recent technological progress has brought with it countless advantages that have made peoples’ daily lives much easier. Facing a social change of this magnitude, technology is an essential tool for reducing inequality amongst the most vulnerable groups and minimising social divides.
The Cellnex Foundation was conceived as a dynamic tool to promote Cellnex‘s social commitment and to provide differential value through actions aimed at people and based on technological connectivity solutions, in line with the company’s business model. The Foundation’s mission is to bring technology closer to people to promote effective connectivity that helps reduce the digital, social, and territorial divides.
Since its creation in 2011, the Cellnex Foundation has actively represented and promoted Cellnex’s commitment to social causes. The Foundation's scope of action encompasses all people but focuses particularly on young people and those who are furthest from the digital world. Its activities also cater specifically to people in vulnerable situations, such as those with disabilities or low employability.
The Foundation, in addition to collaborating with external initiatives, frames its action around bridging three major divides: digital, territorial, and social. All of these programmes share the common goals of reducing inequalities and social vulnerabilities, promoting functional and gender diversity, reducing territorial imbalances, and promoting entrepreneurship and talent development.
The Foundation’s commitments focus on benefiting people and improving the environment through technology, addressing the challenges and issues identified in Cellnex's environment:
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Helping to reduce the digital divide |
Combatting imbalance and social inequality caused by a lack of knowledge of technologies. |
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Helping to reduce the territorial divide |
Addressing isolation and inequality in rural areas and complex environments through connectivity. |
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Helping to reduce the social divide |
Acting against inequalities - especially those related to gender, disability, and background - by promoting connectivity solutions that enhance people's quality of life. |
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Promoting sustainability initiatives |
Cellnex helps to preserve the environment and biodiversity by promoting and carrying out actions in cooperation with key sectors. |
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STRATEGIC LINE |
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COMMITMENT |
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PROJECT |
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PILLAR |
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1 |
Innovation and entrepreneurship based on digital technologies as an improvement of the social ecosystem |
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Social Divide |
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Digital Divide |
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Cellnex Bridge |
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Joint programme |
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Rural innovation |
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Collaboration with small entities |
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2 |
Education and the generation of digital knowledge as a tool for social integration |
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Social Divide |
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Digital Divide |
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Digital literacy |
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Own programme |
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Youth challenge |
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Collaboration with small entities |
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3 |
Employability with a focus on vulnerable sectors, connectivity and accessibility to technologies as a tool for social equality |
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Social Divide |
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Sustainability |
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Training and employability |
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Collaboration with small entities |
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Employability |
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Corporate volunteering |
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4 |
Diversity, and socio-economic reactivation |
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Social Divide |
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Digital Divide |
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Digitalisation of unique environments |
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Own programme |
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Promotion of STEM careers |
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Corporate volunteering |
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5 |
Environmental awareness as an integrative mechanism and preservation of biodiversity |
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Social Divide |
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Sustainability |
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Biodiversity preservation |
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Collaboration with small entities |
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Environmental awareness |
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Collaboration with small entities |
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6 |
Collaborative and participatory social action |
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Social Divide |
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Volunteer day |
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Own programme |
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Solidarity gift |
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Corporate volunteering |
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8 impacted SDGs
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The Foundation's focus areas encompass a diverse range of initiatives aimed at fostering growth and impact across six strategic action lines. The actions are built on the following four pillars:
The Cellnex Foundation's own programmes focus on enhancing connectivity in rural areas, where significant social, territorial, and digital transformations are needed. The goal is to bring technology closer to rural areas and address challenges arising from current divides, aiming to improve social and territorial cohesion across various regions and enhance people's quality of life.
The approach to implementing the Foundation's own programmes derives from its Connectivity Master Plan, which outlines the regeneration strategies for each rural area to achieve the intended impact on the region. The current plan's strategy spans a three-year period and is currently focused on Spain.
Textile colonies
In collaboration with Puig-reig City Council, Berguedà Chamber of Commerce, Fundesplai, and Red Cross, the Cellnex Foundation organises an annual summer technology camp in Puig-reig with the aim of revitalising the industrial colonies in the Berguedà region. The camp is called “Preparing the Future at Cal Pons” and caters for young people between the ages of 9 and 12. The camp’s goal is to foster youth interest in #STEM careers while they have fun and play sports, through a focus on digital knowledge.
The activities are structured into morning sessions, focused on programming and technology, and afternoon sessions, dedicated to leisure activities, emphasising the use of English. The second edition of the summer camp was held in 2023 and was attended by 89 children and teenagers. The camp imparted a total of 4,450 training hours, which amounted to about 50 hours per person.
This year’s programme saw various improvements upon last year’s edition:
Looking to 2024, the Foundation is seeking corporate partnerships within the region to add further value.
Smart Montserrat
The broader purpose of the Smart Montserrat project is to provide connectivity to boost development and reduce the digital divide in the Abbey of Montserrat. This is done by carrying out a digital transformation for the efficient management of the Abbey's infrastructure, resulting in an optimal experience for visitors as well as society and culture. It also includes the technical deployment of the Smart Platform used to manage various aspects of the Abbey through its associated viewer and sensors.
Thanks to this initiative, the capacity of spaces such as the Basilica, Camino del Cambril, and the Monastery Museum can be controlled and managed in real time. Also included air quality, the joint occupancy level of the parking lots located on the access road, and the Monastery’s new underground parking lot, among others.
Asturias
The Foundation aims to collaborate in the implementation of the Digital Paradise Asturias project within the framework of cooperation with the Principality of Asturias for the deployment of a Smart Rural network. The location chosen by the Principality of Asturias is the municipality of Yernes y Tameza, situated in the central-western area of the Principality with a population of around 130 inhabitants.
The Cellnex Foundation will collaborate with a local foundation, the Vital Foundation, whose mission is to encourage and carry out educational, cultural, or scientific activities related to education in nature, alternative energies, water, and the environment. The project activities entail providing connectivity and the necessary equipment to nine households for the implementation of the Social Housing use case, with the following features:
The Cellnex Bridge programme has the primary objective of fostering universal digital proficiency, diminishing social disparities, nurturing talent and innovation, and enhancing quality of life while promoting sustainability
Forging synergies and forming key alliances with strategic entities in the region is not just fundamental but also a best practice. Collaborating on projects allows for a broader impact and the development of innovative solutions that cater to the needs of both the environment and society. The Cellnex Foundation takes the lead in these initiatives in partnership with other public or private organisations, targeting specific needs that align with Cellnex's activities.
Through comprehensive conceptualisation and the creation of stakeholder maps for each project at regional, national, and European levels, the Foundation gains a clear understanding of the primary actors involved. This approach helps in identifying the necessary skills required at different levels of involvement to achieve mutual objectives (i.e. expertise, dissemination, fostering relationships, recruitment, and the development of joint actions).
The Cellnex Foundation launched its first acceleration programme for social impact startups in 2021: Cellnex Bridge.
The Cellnex Bridge programme has the primary objective of fostering universal digital proficiency, reducing social disparities, nurturing talent and innovation, and enhancing quality of life while promoting sustainability. It prioritises projects that target various social and environmental sustainability challenges, including support for the elderly, personal care, enhancing employability and ensuring equal opportunities, addressing rural depopulation, education, improving connectivity in underserved areas (both rural and urban), safeguarding vulnerable groups, and promoting environmental sustainability. This initiative is conducted by the Cellnex Foundation in partnership with Innuba and AticoLab.
Cellnex Bridge: Second Edition
In the same vein, in connection with the conclusion of the second edition of the Cellnex Bridge programme, Cellnex integrated the triple impact evaluation with the main and generic stakeholders of startups. This impact has the following effects: (1) The development of individuals and the team as a whole during the programme is highly appreciated. (2) The programme is acknowledged for assisting them in developing and enhancing the products and services to be offered. (3) Their growth in the social and environmental sphere is highly regarded.
The areas for improvement identified pertain to the internal governance system and interactions with suppliers and allies. Throughout the programme, the startups (Oroi Wellbeing, Blindstairs, Aldoratech, Saluscorp, Deaphearing, and Innogando) strengthened their teams in the following ways:
On average, they experienced a growth of 25% and gave the programme an overall rating of 8.5 out of 10.
Cellnex Bridge: Third Edition
In 2023, the Cellnex Foundation launched the third edition of the programme with the aim of giving ongoing support to startups with a high social impact through technology and connectivity. This support comes in the form of a mentoring programme, training sessions, roundtable discussions for dialogue and learning, along with financial backing of €15,000 to develop their proof of concept. Cellnex Bridge offers an eight-month systematic impact acceleration programme, and the third edition improved several aspects in relation to the second edition:
The five finalists in 2023 were:
Cellnex Bridge Community
In 2023 a community related to the Cellnex Bridge programme was also created. This community aims to enhance participants' experience in the programme by providing them with access to connect with startups that participated in previous editions. This allows them to benefit from their expertise and receive additional resources.
"It is gratifying for the Foundation to promote projects that combine the benefits generated for society in vulnerable groups with corporate volunteering, where their help is key to achieving success and at the same time we manage to strengthen the human spirit, team building and sense of belonging within our company."
David Sanz
Cellnex Foundation expert - Cellnex Foundation
Corporate volunteering, under the umbrella of the Cellnex Foundation, seeks to organise and engage Cellnex employees and former employees who wish to contribute to generating social value through activities that respond to the needs of people, the community and the environment.
Cellnex Foundation contributes to sustainable development and the 2030 agenda through a variety of volunteering programmes linked to three main areas of action: Education, Training and Mentoring; Employability and Access to Techno.
Volunteer day
Cellnex has designated 10 November as corporate Volunteer Day. This year, exceptionally, it was held on the 22nd. It celebrated its third edition in 2023; the event was organised to showcase the role of volunteers and improve the Foundation’s visibility. Its primary aim was to strengthen engagement and foster a shared culture among volunteers, thereby reinforcing Cellnex’s brand as a socially responsible company and generating a positive impact on local communities. Each year, the Foundation places the focus on one of the several SDGs aligned with its purpose and commitments.
The focus of this year was "Corporate volunteering with vulnerable groups, as a tool for social integration," and the activities were structured around this theme. The bulk of the activities consisted of various workshops held in Barcelona, Madrid, Bologna, and Rome, and speakers included Marco Patuano, Lluis Deulofeu, and Álvaro Vizaino.
The workshops in Barcelona and Madrid focused on the use of the Ozobot robotics kit, a small educational robot with multiple colour sensors, and were tailored for individuals with functional diversity.
The Boulogne workshop centred around diversity based on a practical case. Each group had to empathise with a young person from a mixed background (one middle school student/one high school student/one higher education student) and devise a support proposal to promote equal opportunities throughout their course of study.
In the Rome workshop, volunteers had the opportunity to guide a group of young migrants on creating a curriculum vitae and handling a job interview.
Youth Challenge
Youth Challenge is Cellnex's corporate volunteering initiative that strives to create a positive impact on vulnerable environments within local communities. It is an educational programme tailored for young people in vulnerable circumstances, aiming to assist their transition into the job market. This involves mentor-supported sessions, along with conferences and workshops conducted by Cellnex volunteers.
Cellnex volunteers in France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Poland, Ireland, United Kingdom and Netherlands were delighted to receive a sports towel to further contribute to that well-deserved well-being, in recognition of their work on the Youth Challenge during the outgoing academic year.
The objective of the Youth Challenge is to tackle early school dropout rates among socially marginalised young people through a coaching programme, while also enhancing students' employability through volunteer-led conferences and training sessions.
Cellnex Spain, Cellnex Italy, Cellnex France, Cellnex Portugal, Cellnex Poland, Cellnex Ireland, Cellnex UK, and Cellnex Netherlands participated in the edition for the 2022-2023 academic year. A total of 22 lower and higher secondary schools took part in the programme, which included 124 activities with over 202 volunteers. This resulted in more than 1,885.5 volunteer hours dedicated to 1,127 students.
Some of the activities developed by Cellnex Foundation to achieve its objectives are:
In 2023, Youth Challenge Ireland and Poland were added to the programme, while the programme keeps developing and evolving in the remaining countries: Spain, Italy, France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Portugal. Activities such as the Workshop on STEAM, Mini-Workshop Peer to Peer, and #Edu Travel, including visits to Cellnex offices, constitute the initiatives under Cellnex Poland's 2023-2024 programme. This programme aims to promote STEAM education among vulnerable young people as a means of integration.
In addition, Cellnex Ireland operates a programme called the Academy of the Future - Visioneers Programme, focusing on educating young people in Ireland about smart cities. Another example is the “Smart Cities” programme in the UK, consisting of workshops in four schools, where students and teachers look more closely into what enables a digitally “connected” society. Students learn about the infrastructure that enables mobile network operators to connect their customers and how businesses, hospitals, schools, and public services rely on digital connectivity to be more productive, sustainable, or competitive. All of this allows students to consider the skills they might need and present and future career opportunities.
The volunteering experience has been rewarding on many levels. Volunteering has allowed colleagues to bond, develop new self-confidence and support well-being, but importantly also offers the satisfaction of being able to give something back to society. For students and teachers, the feedback has been equally positive, with students commenting that the sessions were valuable in helping them to develop new skills, understand a smart city and whether they would consider recommending the session to a school friend. Nothing embodies this better than some of the students' own words - "Cellnex looks very interesting and I want to know more" and "It was really fun and everyone offered to help if needed. I enjoyed talking to the different people/leaders. Thank you." The intention is to further expand volunteering efforts well into 2024, to serve as catalysts for social progress.
Solidary Gift
The "Solidarity Gift" project is an initiative that is open to all Cellnex employees, consisting of a micro-donation of €1 per month (or the equivalent in local currency) which is taken directly from the salary of employees who opt into the initiative. Furthermore, the Cellnex Foundation matches the donation and the money that is raised is earmarked for a project that the group of Solidarity Gift donors present and choose in a vote. Furthermore, in countries where less than €1,000 is collected, the Foundation donates €1,000.
The following countries are participating in the Solidary Gift: Spain, Italy, Portugal, Switzerland, Ireland, and the Netherlands. In 2024, the campaign will be launched in France, the UK, and Poland.
In 2023, support was provided to four different entities:
Cellnex Ireland continues its commitment to supporting the Irish Cancer Foundation through active participation in and endorsement of its fundraising activities. Furthermore, there is ongoing sponsorship and support for the Cancer Fund for Children, a team of specialists providing a wide range of practical, financial, and emotional support services to families affected by cancer, at home, in hospitals, or in their social environment.
The "G come Gioco" project, led by the "GNAO1 APS Families" Association, was recognised with the Solidary Gift title during the 2020-22 edition for its dedication. The project emphasises the importance of play for children facing challenges, with the slogan "Play is serious business." Thanks to Cellnex Italy's support, 20 children affected by GNAO1 in Italy will receive specially designed game packages tailored to their individual abilities, aiding their social development and integration into daily life.
Leveraging assistive technologies and Alternative and Augmentative Communication (CAA), these gifts will play a crucial role in their development and overall inclusion.
Support university students who, despite living in a situation of verified economic need and having applied for Social Action Scholarships, did not receive them due to a minimal discrepancy, through a donation to Stand4Good.
Cellnex Switzerland continues its commitment to supporting Médecins Sans Frontières by providing aid to victims of natural or man-made disasters and armed conflicts.
In Spain and The Netherlands in 2023, the Solidary Gift collection has continued. This campaign is launched every two years, accumulating the total amount collected over the preceding two-year period.
Technovation Girls
The project's objective is to enhance women's representation in innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship sectors, supporting groups of girls in acquiring and applying skills needed to address real-world issues through the development of a mobile app.
Technovation Girls involves coaching activities to offer feedback regarding the projects to the various teams, visits to Cellnex offices, and an assessment of the final projects. Cellnex volunteers were able to participate in Technovation Girls 2023 by taking on roles such as:
In 2023, six teams of girls had the opportunity to present their projects, as well as to visit Cellnex and its offices. One of these teams was eventually selected in Catalonia’s semi-final and went on to the International final. In 2024, Cellnex is planning on including Italy and France within the project's scope.
These are projects that are carried out by other organisations and supported by Cellnex, in the form of economic, technical, or human capital. Collaborations between corporate foundations and smaller non-profits are crucial as they combine resources, expertise, and networks to amplify social impact, enabling the pooling of diverse strengths for addressing community needs effectively and sustainably.
Digitalise your village
“Digitalise your village”, developed by the Higher School of Telecommunications Engineering at the Polytechnic University of Madrid, consists of a competition involving students from Spanish higher secondary schools in rural settings, with the aim of making rural areas a smart environment for entrepreneurship, fostering a sense of belonging among rural youth, and inspiring them to study STEM. Students have to develop an idea as a team to use technology to solve or make a positive contribution to a specific problem affecting their local rural area.
In 2023, 12 secondary schools in eight provinces took part in the project, with the involvement of over 200 students. The winning project was "Robot-In" from Salvador Victoria secondary school in Monreal del Campo (Teruel), a prototype equipped with heat sensors and a brush cutter capable of autonomously creating a firebreak around the flames.
Environmental awareness
The Cellnex Foundation aims to increase awareness about the significance of the environment and ecosystems. It also seeks to bridge the gap between nature and marginalised groups, considering it a crucial stride towards complete social inclusion. Moreover, the efforts focus on bolstering the planet's sustainability by fostering connections between individuals and the environment, leveraging their understanding and involvement. For this reason, the Foundation collaborates with various social organisations so that people with disabilities can enjoy nature outings that also raise awareness and respect for the environment.
In 2023, the visits included places such as Montserrat in Catalonia and Monte del Agua in Tenefire, among others. These are places of special natural and cultural interest, where people at risk of social exclusion are the main participants. The visits took place in five autonomous communities in Spain and achieved a total of 526 impact hours for 104 people.
The Foundation collaborated with organisations including the AMPANS Foundation (Catalonia), the COGAMI Foundation (Galicia), Asociación Autismo Aragón (Aragon), the GIL GAYARRE Foundation (Madrid), and the Apreme Association (Canary Islands).
Castell de Peralada Foundation
Cellnex Foundation promoted the digital transformation of more than 50,000 searchable files, including photographs, illustrations, and other documents, among which great moments in the history of Girona and the surroundings of the performing arts stand out facilitating its digital accessibility.
Clearing land
The collaboration with the Formació i Treball Foundation is aimed at facilitating the social integration of individuals at risk of exclusion. Clearing work is carried out on the plots where Cellnex facilities are located, requiring land maintenance and forest clearance. In 2023, as an annual continuation of this collaboration, the Foundation participated in the clearance of centres in Catalonia, increasing the number of centres by 11 (from nine to 20), and working to identify a potential list of sites nationwide to extend the initiative to other communities in following years. Also, collaboration has been established in the reintegration of up to seven workers, with more than 73 hours of fieldwork. For 2024, there are plans to continue these actions in Catalonia and expand to other autonomous communities.
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