These prizes were the first recognition of outstanding Human Resources organizations and teams that have implemented innovative strategies and practices in response to today's challenges in people management.

EDP was represented in two categories in the final phase, on 22 March in Berlin. A total of 71 projects in 23 categories from more than 200 applications from 92 companies in different European countries made the finals.

EDP was the only Portuguese company represented and its projects EDP Trainee Programme and Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Strategy and Action Plan made the final before a jury of specialists from European companies and institutions, who evaluated the projects' creativity and innovation, strategy, implementation, results and impact.

These projects are part of the EDP Group's People Management Strategic Plan (2016-2020), which focuses on attracting strategic skills and promoting diversity and inclusion with a view to consolidating an increasingly multinational culture.

The EDP Trainee Programme started its third year in October 2016, with 40 trainees from 12 countries. This programme provides challenging and cross-cutting professional experience that fosters accelerated development of technical skills and behaviours. This third year of the programme responded to the challenge of providing a global experience involving the EDP Group's different geographical areas in project rotation.

The EDP Group's Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) strategy is based on 4 areas: gender, generations, disabilities and nationalities and it has been implemented since 2016 through an action plan with more than 15 initiatives to be rolled out over the next 3 years. These actions seek to fulfil the D&I area's mission to guarantee the promotion and incorporation of a culture of diversity and inclusion based on respect for individuals, which is evident in the EDP Group’s identity and its people management and functions as a benchmark for the organization’s internal and external activities.

"We are very proud to see our work recognized at European level.

Making the final in two out of 23 competition categories and representing the only Portuguese Company in the final from among 70 European Companies is a confirmation of the pathway to excellence that we have outlined for the EDP Group and for our People Management.

Our participation in the final and the Prize that we won place us on a higher quality level and show that we are in line with best international practices", said Paula Carneiro, EDP Group's Director of Corporate Human Resources.