Communities
Vestas in communities
Leading a responsible, and inclusive energy transition
Vestas aims to become the safest, most inclusive, and most socially responsible company in the renewable energy industry as outlined in our Sustainability Strategy. We are committed to meaningfully engage with communities around the wind farm projects we develop, install or service.
Our approach is guided by our Corporate Social Responsibility blueprint with three pillars, focusing on:
• Responsibility, strengthening human rights governance and management;
• Inclusiveness, creating long-term value and engagement where we are present;
• Leadership, ensuring the integration of Human Rights in the energy transition.
Learn more about our human rights management approach on our page on Human Rights.
Creating long-term value
Building strong relationships with the communities around wind farm projects is fundamental to lead a responsible and inclusive energy transition. As a key partner in global wind energy projects, we know the importance of earning social approval, or Social License to Operate (SLO). To achieve this, Vestas has created its own 'Social Management System' to guide us through the construction and operation of wind farms.
In doing so, we focus on working with customers, local authorities, communities, and other partners in wind farm projects to build strong relationships and give back to the local community. Our main efforts include community initiatives and donations in the areas of education, enhancing skills and employability, access to affordable and clean energy, community development, and relief programmes and emergency response.
Vestas is committed to developing a skilled workforce for the renewable energy sector. We invest in education at all levels, from primary and secondary schools to universities and vocational training. Our initiatives support Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 – Quality Education, and we have several programs in place to achieve this across our regions.
“Keep it Local” in Brazil and Spain
Vestas and our customer EDPR launched the "Keep it Local" program in 2021 to provide education and technical training to young people at risk of labor exclusion in Spain. Since then, the program has expanded to rural areas in Spain, Italy, and Brazil.
“Keep it Local” expanded to Brazil in 2024, where Vestas and EDPR partnered with SENAI, Brazil’s national service for industrial training, to train 56 people from Jandaíra, Guamaré, and nearby areas. Vestas employees shared their knowledge of wind energy operations through several lectures during the three-month course.
Enhancing the educational experience for children in South Africa
In South Africa, our focus is on children’s education. One of our initiatives in 2024 provided scholarships to over 80 Grade 12 students, helping them succeed in their final exams at a local school near our operations.
We improved the facilities of a local school in Maatjiesfontein School in 2025, benefitting over 178 children. By adding new toilets, windows, fencing, and classroom doors, we aim to enhance the overall quality and safety of the school premises.
Technical Training Course in Mexico and Argentina
Vestas helped bring wind energy to Tamaulipas, Mexico, by installing the first wind turbine in the state in 2014. We believe that our success depends on the skills of our employees, so we have partnered with local universities to train the next generation of wind energy engineers.
We have been working with the Polytechnic University of Victoria and the local government to provide a technical training course since 2018. Tamaulipas has over 14 wind farms, many of which are Vestas projects. The program grants a diploma in wind generator maintenance and has helped over 90 professionals, several of which have gone on to work for Vestas.
Vestas aims to support the skill development of youth and adults in communities near our projects, boosting employability and creating better jobs, contributing to SDG 6 – Decent Work and Economic Growth.
Strengthening Skills & Livelihoods in Jordan
Vestas has been engaged with the Tafilah and Ma’an communities in Jordan since 2015. Our community development activities focus on empowering youth and developing skills through various training workshops and courses. Some recent initiatives in Jordan include:
- Worked with the Tafilah Cultural, Sports, and Social Club to train unemployed young men and women in ecotourism, a growing industry in the Al Tafilah Governorate, known for its cultural heritage and nature.
- Partnered with the Abour Agriculture Association to train 16 farmers in cow farming and dairy production in Tafilah in 2023.
- Collaborated with local groups to provide hydroponic farming and food processing training, benefiting 45 women in four communities near our project in 2023.
Enhancing Youth Employability and supporting STEM education in schools in India
We launched an employability programme to train and place young adults in jobs across sectors such as outsourcing, Information Technology Enabled Services, BFSI (Banking Financial Services and Insurance) and retail since 2023. We have supported and trained over 1000 such youth across Chennai and Mumbai as an ongoing project.
We have supported 10 government and government aided schools in Chennai on promotion of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) learning by setting up STEM Labs in these schools for hands-on learning by the school children since 2025. This STEM programme also includes support for some basic infrastructure improvement in schools in need of renovation and painting, water & sanitation facilities among others, training of selected schoolteachers to undertake STEM learning activities, STEM festival, and employee engagement and volunteering by Vestas employees in Chennai.
Skills & Entrepreneurship Training in Senegal
Vestas has been active in the Taiba N’Diaye community since 2018, when we started building the Taiba N’Diaye wind farm. Together with local partners, we have launched several initiatives to develop the skills and entrepreneurial abilities of local residents. Some recent activities include:
- Training programmes for women entrepreneurs on dairy processing, including the production fresh milk, cheese, yogurt and milk granules in 2026.
- Training programmes for women entrepreneurs in food processing and preservation, alongside capacity-building for agricultural cooperatives in business management, mango production, harvesting techniques and crop management in 2025.
- Launch of an agroecology and organic fertilizer programme, training 50 participants in market-oriented agriculture, 50 in poultry farming, and 50 in fruit and vegetable processing in 2024.
- Delivery of vocational training programmes covering good agricultural practices, cosmetic product production, and screen printing in 2023.
Vestas is dedicated to helping nearby communities develop. We have worked on projects that provide better water and sanitation (SDG 6), improve local infrastructure with clean energy (SDG 7), and promote better healthcare (SDG 3). These efforts support sustainable development and improve the quality of life in the areas where we operate.
Building resilient communities in Taiba N’Daye, Senegal
Since 2018, Vestas has been a part of the Taiba N’Diaye community, where we built a 158.7 MW wind farm that increased the country's electricity capacity by 15%. While the wind farm is in operation, we continue to support the community through initiatives that seeks to strengthening local infrastructure and improving access to essential services. Some recent activities include:
- Building a public market in Taiba Mbaye to support local producers and economic activity in 2026.
- Equipping and made operational a maternity ward serving women from 5 health centres in 2025.
- Building a new maternity ward to improve healthcare for new mothers in 2023.
- Improving sanitation facilities at Taiba N’Diaye high school, benefiting over 710 students in 2023.
- Promoting cleaner cooking solutions through the distribution of 500 improved cook stoves and trained the women on how to use them. This project was important because many local women were using firewood and charcoal for cooking in 2020.
As a developer, Vestas is committed to meaningfully engaging with communities that might be affected by a planned wind farm.
Our community engagement is proactive and inclusive, making sure to keep communities, landowners, agencies, and partners involved and informed throughout the development process. We align with best practices in wind farm development, integrating social acceptance and risk assessments with technical and economic analyses. This keeps stakeholders informed and involved, ensuring the project design reflects local needs, values and address concerns in a timely manner.
Depending on the local context, engagement may occur through public consultations, meetings with local community leaders, local public events, one-on-one meetings. We aim to positively impact communities and support them in meaningful ways, recognizing that each community is unique.
Human Rights Policy (pdf)
This policy outlines Vestas' commitment to respecting human rights and addressing adverse human rights impacts, when applicable
Social Management System (pdf)
An outline of our human rights methodology in our market approach, supporting customers in creating bankable projects
Lake Turkana Impact Study (pdf)
A socio-economic study of the key impacts of the Lake Turkana Wind Power project in Kenya. Documenting Business Respect for Human Rights.