The Assembly of Members of the Spanish Network of the Global Compact has chosen in its 16th ordinary session the businesswoman Clara Arpa, representative of the company ARPA Mobile Campaign Teams, as the new president of the initiative in Spain. This appointment relieves the former president, Ángel Pes, representative of CaixaBank and deputy director general of the financial institution, who has held the position for eight years.
Graduated in labor relations and specialized in international cooperation and corporate social responsibility management, Clara Arpa is CEO of the SME ARPA EMC, one of the five largest in the world in the design, manufacture and deployment of campaign logistics solutions for the defense, health and emergency sectors. Its services range from the modular construction of field hospitals to infrastructure complements, such as water treatment, sanitation, waste management or comprehensive solutions and state-of-the-art technology for mass communication systems. She is also member of the executive committee of UN Global Compact, where he has been a representative of the private sector since 2018, and is part of the CEOE Executive Committee.
The new president of the Global Compact in Spain has demonstrated a high commitment to sustainability throughout her career, not only through her active participation in the United Nations Global Compact, but also with the promotion of projects such as ARPAChange, whose mission is to guide organizations in their transition towards sustainability, providing innovative solutions such as the most profitable hybrid solar technology in the world or the most innovative water treatment and purification systems. Another of its most outstanding actions is the creation of the Innovation Center for Sustainable Development (CIDS), whose mission is to collect innovative ideas generated in the company and in society to support sustainable development in the world.
During her speech at the General Assembly, the new President stressed that she comes to office at a turning point for sustainability, which she hopes will be the axis of the country’s economic and social regeneration.
In her words, “during the last months we have verified the development of infinity of vulnerabilities, economic, social and environmental dependencies. For this reason, and to achieve the future we want, the future that leaves no one behind, we must bet on regeneration, both social and economic, and we must do it now. Only in this way, by promoting sustained, inclusive and equitable economic growth, will we be able to reduce inequalities and improve the health of our ecosystems, in line with what is stated in the 2030 Agenda. ”
Looking to the future, she has indicated as pillars “the recovery of trust, ethical management, transparency and the fight against corruption and inequalities”, relevant areas of work for the private sector and for the Spanish Network of the Global Compact, as a leading sustainability initiative.
The appointment of the new presidency is accompanied by a renewal of half of the executive committee, as contemplated by the statutes of the organization. In this sense, the current formation of the executive committee of the organization is determined as follows:
Board of directors
- Clara Arpa from ARPA EMC (presidency)
- Víctor Viñuales from Ecodes (vice presidency)
- Clara Bazán from Mapfre (secretary)
- Ángel Fraile dfrom Endesa (treasury)
Vocals
- Accenture
- Agroamb Prodalt
- Atrevia
- Auchan
- Fruits de Ponent
- Fundación Adecco
- Fundación Novia Salcedo
- Grupo Antolín
- Grupo Iberostar
- ICEX
- IESE – Universidad de Navarra
- Instituto de Empresa – IE Business School
- Nechi Group
- PRISA
- Quirón Salud
- Suez
- Supracafé