AkzoNobel has partnered with The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) – the business research arm of The Economist Group – to explore what makes urban areas sustainable and examine how cities can become more liveable.

The EIU will engage with a team of expert thinkers and writers over the next few months, culminating in the distribution of a high-profile report in January 2015. Showcased via a series of interviews and blogs on The EIU’s thought leadership website, topics to be covered will include how to make transport more accessible, the benefits of empowering communities to improve their environment, learning how to integrate slums and assessing what can be done to make cities more age-friendly.

The aim of the cooperation is to bring together leading independent commentators from across the world and invite them to give their own views on how our cities can better serve the people who live and work there.

AkzoNobel says it is already working to improving the world’s urban areas through its Human Cities initiative, which is designed to address some of the key challenges of the 21st century. The introductory EIU article stresses that “to appreciate and realise the value of people in a city means creating and designing environments where human interaction can thrive.” You can read the full story on www.akzonobel.com/EIU

Contributors who have been lined up to take part in the series include Founder of Exploration Architecture, Michael Pawlyn; Executive Director of LSE Cities, Philipp Rode; and CEO of Living PlanIT, Steve Lewis.