Unicaja Banco and Garántia renew their agreement and allocate €110 million for loans with guarantees to provide financing to SMEs and to the self-employed

Unicaja Banco has renewed for the third consecutive year its agreement for financial collaboration with Garántia, Sociedad de Avales y Garantías de Andalucía, under which they allocate €110 million to provide financing with guarantees for Andalusian SMES and freelancers, thus contributing to boost the activity of those groups.

The agreement, which has been signed by Unicaja Banco’s Chairman, Manuel Azuaga, and by Garántia’s President, Javier González de Lara, brings to SMEs in Andalusia a wide range of specific financing to support the development of their activities, especially now in view of the current situation, due to the effects caused by the COVID-19.

These financing lines are conceived for credit transactions to be formalized during one year from the signing of the agreement, with extraordinary interest rates and term conditions, and with the joint guarantee of the Andalusian mutual guarantee company. SMEs and freelancers, regardless of their legal form, may apply to these special financing lines with guarantees.

Under this agreement, Unicaja Banco and Garántia make available to these groups a wide range of financing under advantageous terms, in order to boost business initiatives and to contribute to creating and maintaining jobs, especially in view of the current economic situation caused by the coronavirus.

Unicaja Banco’s support to SMEs and to the self-employed falls within its activity as a financial institution focused on retail and proximity banking, playing a significant role in the promotion of local development.

Businesses in general and SMEs and the self-employed in particular continue to be one of the key objectives of Unicaja Banco’s financing policy. In this sense, the institution plays an active role in providing funding to these groups, essential to boost the economy and job creation.

Garántia SGR, as a guarantee company, has among its main objectives boosting the economic activity and supporting Andalusian companies. With 40 years of presence in Andalusia, it has branches in the eight provinces and a team of 80 employees to serve SMEs and the self-employed. It also works via the website www.sgrgarantia.es. Garántia is the first guarantee company in Spain in terms of providing funding to the self-employed and new companies and in funding to the agrifood sector, and the third in terms of number of members, with over 21,500, and in business volume, with a guaranteed outstanding risk in Andalusia of over €600 million.