AGM

CORE Platform – AGM 12 th July 2017 On Wednesday 12th July 2017, CORE Platform, the national platform for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Malta, held its first AGM since its launch in September 2015. The organisation was set up on an initiative of Her Excellency, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, President of Malta, who wanted a platform representing CSR in Malta that would act as the link between the business community and civil society in the country, as well as encourage exchange and mutual learning amongst members and stakeholders at national and international level.

For this reason, CORE Platform, which is under the patronage of Her Excellency, is made up of the business institutions and organisations in Malta, namely the Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry; the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA); the Malta Employers’ Association (MEA); the Malta Business Bureau (MBB); the General Retailers and Traders Union (GRTU); and SOS Malta, which is representing the NGOs.

During the AGM, which was attended by the board members of CORE Platform and a number of stakeholders, the vision of the organisation and its objectives were reaffirmed. All those present agreed that CORE Platform should continue working towards bringing businesses, NGOs, and local communities closer to each other through more cross-sector collaborations and initiatives. Moreover, the organisation was applauded for its involvement in a number of CSR-related local and European projects and was encouraged to continue its engagement in, and promotion of, innovative joint projects supporting CSR and sustainable development.

Throughout the end of 2015 and most of 2016, CORE Platform started looking for ways to build a relationship with both the business community and civil society in Malta. This was done through the setting up of multiple meetings with stakeholders, establishing contacts and getting sponsorships, as well as developing a website and page on the social media. Following this, CORE Platform started partnering with a number of entities, institutions, and organisations in both local and European projects. In October 2016, for instance, the organisation collaborated with Junior Achievement Young Enterprise Malta in an initiative that offered students graduating from the Company Programme (CP) and Entrepreneurial Skills Pass (ESP) the opportunity to experience further how a company is run by shadowing some of Malta’ top CEOs.

In early 2017, the organisation partnered with SOS Malta in its ‘Volunteer Sliema’ project, which aims to ensure vulnerable elderly, and people with a physical disability, feel more mobile and able to access health care and essential services, as well as engage in leisure and community activities. CORE Platform is also working with SOS Malta on a project entitled ‘Resilient Communities’, which seeks to promote cross-sector partnerships for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at a local level. Apart from these projects, CORE Platform is supporting the President’s Trust on a number of initiatives that aim to help empower young people as well as help the youths coming from difficult backgrounds to find employment.

In addition to this, CORE Platform is also engaged in a project that aims to address cultural diversity at work and seeks to provide new tools, based on the exchange of best practices, to prevent intolerance in the labour market towards migrants in Malta. Finally, the organisation is working with local councils in the country with regards to the preservation and maintenance of already-existing playgrounds that will not only serve as spaces for recreation and relaxation, but also as safety hubs for the children of the area.

During the AGM, CORE Platform’s close ties with CSR Europe, the main European organisation promoting CSR in Europe, were stressed. CORE Platform, immediately upon its creation, became CSR Europe’s national partner organisation and has been in constant communication with its members and representatives ever since. Moreover, CORE Platform is currently engaged in the CSR Europe-led project entitled ‘EUTalent’, which aims to encourage Small and Medium Enterprises to offer more and better quality apprenticeships.

Finally, in the AGM, the most recent publication of the organisation, which is the ‘CORE Platform Annual Report 2016-2017’, was presented. This publication shows the achievements of CORE Platform and gives more information on the projects it was and is engaged in, whilst shedding light on what is in store for the future. CORE Platform is a voluntary, non-profit organisation and, therefore, it depends heavily on the generosity of its stakeholders. Malta needs an entity that acts as the voice of CSR in the country. CORE Platform is that entity, and it will continue to work hard so that this concept becomes ingrained in the mentality of our business community and of our society as a whole.

Download the Presentation here