The agreement establishes collaboration between the financial institution and the Málaga TechPark-based group in order to explore opportunities to finance projects and channel sustainable investment related to smart cities.
Unicaja Banco has signed an agreement with Smart City Cluster, an alliance based in the Malaga TechPark of more than 150 companies and institutions, to promote technology and innovation initiatives and projects, as well as sustainable finance, within the smart cities sector. Around 50 Spanish cities are represented in the alliance. Smart cities are those based on sustainable urban planning and the application of technology and innovation to their management and services to achieve more efficient, sustainable and comfortable cities.
The agreement establishes a framework for collaboration with the bank and the alliance members to explore opportunities to finance projects and channel sustainable investment. In this regard, it is worth to mention Unicaja Banco’s commitment to sustainability, under its Sustainable Finance Action Plan, which enables it to promote the integration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria into its business strategy. It said the agreement represents a starting point for the future materialisation of projects related to smart cities.
The signing of this agreement with Smart City Cluster also responds to the bank’s interest in contributing to the development of actions to favour the growth of the business fabric, facilitate the economic boost and support innovation, research and training, as well as sustainability and promotion of projects related to smart cities. The agreement provides a starting point for the future materialization of projects related to smart cities.
Among the objectives of the agreement are to define policies and actions of common interest around smart cities, strategically plan future development paths for cities and promote research, development and innovation of products, processes and services associated with smart urban infrastructures
With regard to training and knowledge, the agreement includes the goals of enhancing the exchange of scientific and technical knowledge between the cluster, universities, technology centres and Unicaja Banco; promoting training activities on smart urban infrastructures (courses, technical workshops, seminars and lectures); organizing events for the promotion of smart cities and urban technologies; and collaborating in the actions on environmental policies, low-carbon economy, energy efficiency, sustainability, sustainable finances and promotion of the information society.
About Smart City Cluster
The Smart City Cluster, based in the Malaga TechPark, is an alliance of more than 150 companies and institutions nationwide, in collaboration with around 50 Spanish cities, which work on the development of smart cities, understood to be efficient, sustainable and comfortable, through cooperation between its partners, which include private companies, universities, technology parks and sectorial organizations, as well as research, development and innovation institutions.
The projects covered by Smart City Cluster seek to generate employment and wealth in the cities by improving business competitiveness, promoting business opportunities and creating new markets, products and services.
The Smart City Cluster works in the development of projects which result in an improvement in the habitability, comfort and quality of life of citizens from any urban area, regardless of its size, through R+D+i projects, with the goal of building better cities, with a higher environmental sustainability and a more efficient resource management.