It was the year 2010 when Michael Brown started working at EDP Renováveis in Glasgow, UK. This is his native town. He was born and raised here. He knows this metropolis like the back of his hand. It is Scotland's largest city, but eventually it became too small for Michael.
So, thirty-five years later, he bid his hometown adieu and moved with his family to Boston, US, in 2019. This move was made possible by EDP's internal mobility program, which operates on a global scale. It is a way of contributing to the personal development of employees within the company itself, and Michael did not want to miss this opportunity.
With the support of his wife and children, he didn't think twice about packing and “flying” to a new project. This is how he seized a unique opportunity to embrace a new challenge - 4,877 km away from home.
Now it is Boston's turn to host Michael and his family. This history-steeped town saw the beginning of the US struggle for independence in 1775. Michael is fascinated by Boston's cultural history: he wants to explore houses and buildings of that era, which can be visited along the so-called Freedom Trail, starting in the city's downtown area.
As CFO of Mayflower Wind Energy, Michael is in charge of the financing and construction of this offshore wind project. "We are still taking the first steps. I've been working on the transition, so I've been traveling back and forth between Glasgow and Boston. There are seven full-time EDP Renováveis employees, but by the end of the year there can be 14 of us." The team is expanding to prepare the launch of Project Mayflower in 2025.
Far from the bustle of Boston's tourist center, Michael decided to settle in Cambridge, a quieter area of this metropolitan area. Moving from one continent to another may seem daunting, but Michael has had EDP's support throughout the entire process, thus ensuring a smoother transition for himself and his family.
"It is a great opportunity for me professionally, but also for my family. My children get to know other places, live in a different place. It's great. I always encourage my colleagues to try something new."
Michael Brown, CFO of Mayflower Wind Energy (Shell/EDPR joint venture)
Energy to fly
Despite the stomach butterflies such changes always cause, long distances are no longer a problem. Technology brings us closer and closer to our family and friends, and dealing with homesickness is just a click away. Sara Ramalho is a good example of this.
Working as a designer at EDP Portugal's communication department for over 5 years now, Sara often collaborated with her colleagues from EDP Brasil. Email and phone conversations always seemed to lack something. She always liked her São Paulo colleagues, so she embraced the challenge of spending three months in the Brazilian metropolis working with them.
"I had never lived outside Portugal, and I chose Brazil because it's an entirely different world. It's a new culture, I didn't know the country, and I work with my Brazilian colleagues every day." According to Sara, knowing how EDP Brazil works was a way to bridge the gap that separates the two countries and streamline her entire work process. It was a short experience, but full of memorable moments. And it started right on her first day: "We arrived on a Saturday. It was pre-Carnival time. We walked among millions of people, it was crazy." This gave her an adrenaline rush, and it was just the beginning of her São Paulo experience.
"I strongly advise everyone to join the mobility program. You end up forging closer ties with people you work with on a daily basis. You bridge the geographical distance and your work improves a lot,"
Sara Ramalho, EDP Designer
But Sara was not the only worker doing the EDP internal mobility program in São Paulo. Marina Maldonado had lived this “newbie” experience two years before. She traveled from Barcelona to São Paulo and loved the way she was welcomed, so she has been trying to do the same with everyone who visits EDP Brasil. Sara was no exception. Back in Portugal, the designer remembers her colleagues with great affection and does not forget Marina's cheerful and warm smile.
Boasting a contagious energy, Marina loves to talk about the city and what it has given her since she arrived. “It's so different from Spain. The city is different, people are different. There are a lot of opportunities here in São Paulo. This country gives you a lot of things," she says enthusiastically. After all, this is the eighth most populous city in the world. It has about 21 million inhabitants and hosts people from over 196 countries, which lends it a cosmopolitan aura.
When we talk about Brazilian cuisine, we can almost feel the smell of charcoal on the fire, about to turn into embers.
"These barbecues are not just about eating, they are a social event. There is music and everything, I love it," she says. Marina does not forget that as soon as she arrived in São Paulo, her colleagues invited her to join the group. She says she did not know whether they were just being nice or really wanted her company. She quickly realized the invitation was genuine. "They really wanted me there. They love bringing people together and having barbecues. I felt very comfortable," she says with a smile on her lips.
Different periods, different cities, different professional challenges, but everyone seeks the same thing: the feeling of being on the move. It is easy to absorb Marina's adventurous spirit when we hear her talk about everything she still wants to do. She has traveled in and out of Brazil and has no idea what the future holds. For now, she is loving her job as a Senior Analyst and wants to stay in São Paulo, but does not know for how long.
Beyond the work experience
Back in Portugal, Sara already feels nostalgic for the friends she made in Brazil and the things she learned. "EDP's subsidiary in Brazil is an entirely different company. The pace of work is different, it's faster and more intense. It was very demanding from a professional point of view, and it was a memorable experience. I would like to go back - or maybe elsewhere, who knows?"
Ana Pedrosa, a Portuguese worker from Setúbal currently living in Spain, is also enjoying an unrestrained experience. She started in Lisbon at the Human Resources Department, worked at EDP Renováveis in Madrid, and eventually settled at EDP España in Oviedo.
Setúbal's fried cuttlefish was replaced by Spanish tapas, and Ana could not be happier with the change. Oviedo, the capital of the Principality of Asturias, is a lovely city. Its charm is revealed in the various sculptures scattered across the city. Some say that walking around Oviedo is like visiting an open-air museum. Strolling around the city and seeing its palaces, squares and narrow streets is a lovely experience.
"I love Oviedo. The city is beautiful and has everything, despite being small. The scenery is beautiful and it's very easy to work here. I only wish it had more sunny days."
Ana Pedrosa, Director of the Human Resources Organization and Development Department, EDP España
Ana had always wanted an international experience to understand how HR policies can be adjusted to businesses. Besides, she enjoys working in the same company while having the opportunity to discover other countries and take part in different projects. Despite her close relationship with Oviedo, Ana says this is not a lifetime assignment: "It depends on where the next project takes me."
How to keep up with future demands
"As times change, so do our desires." Luís Vaz de Camões said that the world is always changing and nothing remains the same. And nothing should remain the same. One must keep up with the ambitions of younger generations. Millennials have been agents of change and have helped create new personal and professional lifestyles.
For this reason, EDP has been trying to meet current challenges by fostering a culture of knowledge sharing among employees with different experiences and backgrounds.
Boasting an increasingly global dimension and operating in four continents, the Group has been investing in short- and long-term internal mobility programs.
"People today want to work in companies that do not force them to do the same thing their whole life. One could almost say that new generations start asking what they can do next the moment they start working with us. We motivate them by showing that we can provide them with new opportunities without them having to leave. Here they can experience different cultures and different business areas."
José Pedro Borges, People Experience Unit, EDP Group
The path of change
EDP has been fostering internal mobility for the past four years. "We began to realize that we should publicize these opportunities by going beyond the mere concept of mobility." This is how José Pedro explains the path the Group has taken towards a concept based on greater collaboration.
To this end, in 2019 EDP launched the 'Grow' platform, which is an internal marketplace where all short- and long-term opportunities are announced. Anyone working for the company can use Grow and apply for a task. José Pedro gives an example: "It's a kind of Linkedin. Each person has their own profile and associated skills. If we need help on a project, we can look for the profile that fits best."
Getting in touch is a straightforward process that saves a lot of time on paperwork. That is the main advantage of the platform, which is heading towards a concept based on greater collaboration and interaction among employees.
According to José Pedro, Grow addresses a difficulty previously faced by EDP employees: finding mobility offers within the company. Now that the platform has been launched, "we feel that there is much more movement within the organization, and that it works much faster. Moreover, about 10% of our employees have joined the mobility program in recent years. We are talking about more than 1,000 people moving within the organization every year."
Internal mobility is a powerful tool for both companies and employees. It helps the company maintain the curiosity and liveliness of all workers so they don't feel the need to look for opportunities outside the company. Knowledge transfer is fluid, and since mobility is part and parcel of the company's culture, happiness and cooperation can be seen in office corridors, meeting rooms, and cafeteria lunches.
Gone are the days when one dreamed of having the same job for life. Michael, Sara, Marina and Ana's stories testify to a growing desire to push boundaries, to experience exciting challenges, and to discover different cultures. People now dream of a future without limits.