One of CORE Platform’s most recent projects in the National Action Plan on Corporate Social Responsibility for Malta. Malta, contrary to almost all other European Union Member States, still does not have a CSR strategy or action plan. This, however, should all change by the end of 2019 as, thanks to the Malta Community Chest Fund Foundation, we have been awarded funds to carry out this much needed project.
Businesses are the driving forces behind economic growth and it is they that can do the most in establishing a more sustainable society through their actions and business models. Businesses cannot think solely of making profit without being responsible enterprises. Slowly, such businesses are starting to realise that CSR does indeed benefit them and their community, which are also their clients, in the end. Unfortunately, at the moment, however, there is no set of guidelines or a strategy which companies and their employers and employees can follow.
The overall aim of the project is to create a national CSR action plan, which would then be adopted by businesses, including SMEs. Thus, businesses will be encouraged to become more responsible and sustainable.
The specific objectives of the project are the following:
- Finding out which businesses have a CSR strategy in place and which CSR initiatives or actions are priorities for Malta. A further objective will then be of raising more awareness among the business sector, local government, and civil society on CSR.
- The research will help in drafting and, then, finalising a National Action Plan on CSR for Malta. This plan will give guidelines to Maltese businesses on how to become more engaged in their local communities and on how to become more responsible and sustainable.
- The National Action Plan will be made available to businesses, especially those that have not yet set up a CSR strategy and will encourage them to change their behaviour and model to favour a more responsible sustainable approach.
For the project to be successful, there will be the creation of an online space, which will be accessible to all and will give more insight on the National Action Plan as well as on any CSR initiatives being done in Malta. This online space will be used by any entity or business in Malta to post or comment about any initiatives or ideas they are doing or plan on doing. This online space will be available on CORE Platform’s website.
In addition to the above, a number of stakeholder meetings with government ministries, trade unions, local entities and businesses were held. The meetings all helped feed into the National Action Plan on CSR for the country. As a result of the analysis of both the research and the feedback gathered from stakeholders, a number of priorities for Malta were identified, as well as possible initiatives that could be implemented within a business framework.
E-Cubed Consultants Ltd. and its Executive Director, Mr Gordon Cordina, are helping us in the project and are assisting us in drafting the Plan.
This project will also be paving the way for CORE Platform to organise CSR Awards in June of 2020. These awards will be supported by HSBC and will involve the participation of various experts and stakeholders to reward good practices in both large as well as small and medium enterprises.
You can find the presentation on the National Action Plan on CSR for Malta here: A National Action Plan on CSR
You can find the invitation for our launch event on the 31st of January 2020 here: NAP on CSR Launch event
The National Action Plan in PowerPoint format can be found here: A National Action Plan on CSR for Malta
