- The Director of Igape, Covadonga Toca, and the Director of the Galician Forest Industry Agency (Xera), Alfredo Fernández Ríos, took part today in the VI Corporate Social Responsibility Conference of the Pontevedra Business Forum
- Covadonga Toca emphasised that sustainability, good governance, innovation and artificial intelligence are key to strengthening the business fabric and driving new growth models
- She advocates bringing innovation and AI to SMEs to improve processes, guide investments, promote tractor projects and foster the creation of new economic activities
Pontevedra, 12 December 2025
The Director of Igape, Covadonga Toca, took part today in the VI Corporate Social Responsibility Conference of the Pontevedra Business Forum, a setting in which she highlighted the central role of corporate social responsibility (CSR) as a true driver of economic transformation, competitiveness and sustainable development in Galicia.
During her speech, she pointed out that the conference addresses issues that are decisive for the economic future of the region and Galicia —sustainability, governance, green and blue economy, circular economy, digitalisation, artificial intelligence and entrepreneurship— and that all of them are connected by the common thread of corporate social responsibility.
The director explained that Igape will continue working to enable SMEs and the self-employed to incorporate innovation, digitalisation and artificial intelligence in an accessible and useful way, and highlighted that tools such as the Economic Observatory of the Pontevedra Area and Ria, promoted by the Business Forum, will be key to guiding investments, improving processes and promoting projects with a stronger analytical basis.
She stressed that the territorial and sectoral information generated by these tools will enable Igape to support businesses with greater precision, helping them to identify real opportunities, define investments with more sound judgement and promote new economic activities where there is growth potential. In addition, she highlighted the role of the Galicia Economic Office as a cross-cutting support point to facilitate and support any business initiative or strategic project, simplifying processes and speeding up procedures.
Toca concluded by reiterating that “the Xunta will continue to support, promote and facilitate a transformation based on data, innovation and sustainability, to build a more competitive business fabric prepared for the future”.
For his part, the Director of the Galician Forest Industry Agency (Xera), Alfredo Fernández Ríos, who took part in the panel on Green Economy: agroforestry management and bioeconomy models in the rural areas of Pontevedra, highlighted the importance of the forestry-wood sector, the forest resources available in the area and the possibilities for industrial transformation and value generation from products such as wood —due to its carbon sequestration capacity—, biomass and other resources such as fruits and services.
