EFICO is a recently created research group that focuses on the study of sustainable finance, corporate governance, gender diversity on boards and experimental economics. The aims to analyse, study, research, innovate, train and transfer knowledge within the framework of ESG principles (environmental, social and governance) and within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) promoted by the United Nations through the 2030 Agenda.

The research team of this group is specialised in the discipline of corporate governance and financial, economic and governance decision-making. The researchers on this team pay special attention to the sustainability and transparency of socially responsible companies, as well as strategic decision-making in organisations. Furthermore, the group analyses the impact of gender diversity in the decision-making and governance of listed companies, mainly at European level, as well as in the determination of economic and financial decisions in these companies. Likewise, the creation of sustainable wealth and value over time without depleting resources or causing damage to the environment is crucial, and sustainability plays an importantrole. In this regard, many companies have already integrated sustainability into their corporate strategy, and it has a strong presence in the finance sector by providing investors with "non-financial" information through sustainability reports. In addition to risk and return, responsible and sustainable investment is governed by the ethical and pro-social attitude of investors. The aspects that define investors' preferences are difficult to identify in real markets, which is why many studies have been developed in the controlled environment of an experimental economics laboratory. Experimental methodology allows for research to be conducted at both the individual and group level when there are no real data bases. Thus, the laboratory implementation of experimental financial markets will help to understand and identify those factors that determine individuals' behaviour related to sustainable investment.

This research group has been active for many years, as can be seen through its scientific publications and innovative projects awarded and funded in public competitive calls.

Some of this research has resulted in high impact publications and has been subject to knowledge transfer to the business network through various projects to promote business innovation, awarded by the Valencian Innovation Agency (AVI).