News & Views

We are proud to announce that Cognita has received an award for sustainability in the category of Best British Investment in Education from the British Chamber of Commerce in Spain.

Germà Rigau (Managing Director, Spain and Italy) and Neil Tetley (Principal at Hastings School) had the honour of attending the fourth joint annual UK-Spain Business Awards Ceremony at the British Embassy in Madrid, where they accepted the award on behalf of the organisation. Hugh Elliott, the British Ambassador to Spain, chaired the event.

Cognita established a presence in Spain in 2007 and we now have nine schools in the country, which are recognised among the best schools by the most influential rankings, such as El Mundo or the prestigious magazine Forbes, every year. These rankings highlight the excellence and distinctive features of each school, including their pedagogical model, facilities, and resources.

Aida García, President of the British Chamber of Commerce in Spain, said that the award to Cognita “shows that the United Kingdom is a very important country for the educational sector in Spain, since nearly all foreign investment in the industry comes from Britain. In addition, this year we wanted to reward a company that is highly committed to the future of society.”

The British Chamber said there is no doubt that sustainability is embedded in the curriculum of all Cognita schools in Spain through extensive environmental awareness programmes and also within the school community of students, parents, and teaching staff.

Talking about the award, Germà Rigau said: “This recognition is a true testament to all the efforts our teams make relentlessly every day. The company has invested half a million euros in solar power units in our schools in Spain which has allowed us to reduce our carbon footprint by around 55%. Virtually all of our lighting has been replaced by LED technology, which consumes up to 80% less electricity, and we have installed underground water tanks to collect rainwater and reuse it to water the plants, trees and gardens in our schools. On top of that, all our new school buildings have been designed to achieve the ‘close to zero consumption’ rating in the Spanish Technical Building Code.”

“We prepare our students to thrive in a rapidly evolving world whilst enjoying school life, developing their academic potential, and fostering the skills and abilities needed for the future. We also help them build resilience and respect for others and care for the environment. This is why sustainability is part of our DNA as educators.”

Congratulations to our colleagues in Spain for this special award and thank you to the British Chamber of Commerce in Spain for their recognition.

You can read more about the awards here.