Deloitte Joins Smart Cities Council to Help Cities Harness the Transformative Power of Technology

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Deloitte today announced it joined the Smart Cities Council, an industry coalition comprised of the foremost specialists and leading consulting and technology companies to accelerate the growth of smart cities. Deloitte brings experience delivering smart city services globally. As a Smart Cities Council Lead Partner, Deloitte will work with the Council's advisors and members to help cities make investments that fuel sustainable economic development and a high quality of life, with a wise management of natural resources.

"Faced with the societal challenges associated with population growth, urban areas are turning to innovative technologies and data-driven decision making to transform into smart cities," said Rana Sen, managing director, Deloitte Consulting LLP and Smart City lead for U.S. public sector practice. "Deloitte is proud to be a leader in this quickly growing sector ? and joining the Smart Cities Council is another significant step on our journey to gain and share knowledge to help cities and its citizens prosper in this new digital era."

Deloitte shares the Smart Cities Council's vision of cities that are livable, workable and sustainable. As a world-leading consulting firm, Deloitte has extensive experience delivering smart city services globally ? from the U.S. and Mexico, to Latin America, Europe and Asia. Specific to its international projects, Deloitte has worked with cities such as Prague, Barcelona, Valencia and Buenos Aires.

"The Smart Cities Council is working with cities around the world to help them gain the many benefits of smart technologies. But cities are large and diverse and complicated and very different one from the other," said Jesse Berst, chairman, Smart Cities Council. "That's why we are so proud to have Deloitte's broad, global experience on our side. They are experts in helping cities craft an individualized path to a smarter, more sustainable, more resilient future."

The Council recently announced the Smart Cities Council Readiness Challenge Grants ? a program to help five American cities apply smart technologies to advance innovation, inclusion and investment in their cities. As part of the current White House commitment to accelerate the development of smart cities, the winners will receive a tailored one-day Readiness Workshop, where Smart Cities Council experts, members and advisors will assist in building or enhancing a smart city roadmap ? taking into account immediate priorities, long-term goals and current use of technologies.

In addition to participation on the Smart Cities Council, Deloitte's Center for Government Insights developed a website to explore trends and case studies as well as promote Deloitte client experiences and thought leadership related to our Smart City framework ? smart mobility, security, economy, living, environment, and education.

About Deloitte
Deloitte provides industry-leading audit, consulting, tax and advisory services to many of the world's most admired brands, including 80 percent of the Fortune 500. Our people work across more than 20 industry sectors to deliver measurable and lasting results that help reinforce public trust in our capital markets, inspire clients to make their most challenging business decisions with confidence, and help lead the way toward a stronger economy and a healthy society.

As used in this document, "Deloitte" means Deloitte Consulting LLP, a subsidiary of Deloitte LLP. Please see www.deloitte.com/us/about for a detailed description of the legal structure of Deloitte LLP and its subsidiaries. Certain services may not be available to attest clients under the rules and regulations of public accounting.

About Smart Cities Council
The Smart Cities Council is comprised of the foremost experts and leading global companies in the smart technologies sector, who serve as advisors and resources. Its goal is to accelerate the growth of smart cities worldwide by providing city leaders with access to technology counsel, financial tools, policy frameworks, visibility campaigns and advocacy. For more information, visit www.smartcitiescouncil.com.

SOURCE Deloitte