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Month: June 2023

TradeMalta organises its first Trade Mission to Morocco

Posted on by Mel Chamber

TradeMalta is currently in Morrocco, assisting Malta-based businesses to unlock new opportunities and strengthen international partnerships.

The trade delegation which is being led by the Hon. Dr Ian Borg, Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade, is made up of seventeen enterprises coming from different sectors – education and training, construction, healthcare, advisory, manufacturing, renewable energy, retail and risk management. Malta Enterprise, the University of Malta, MCAST, the Institute of Tourism Services and Education Malta are also part of the delegation.

Morocco has a flourishing and dynamic economy, and a business-friendly environment. It has, in recent years, attracted significant foreign direct investment, has a thriving tourism market and is building modern infrastructure. It is certainly an attractive destination for Maltese investors looking for export and internationalization opportunities.

This multi-sector business mission, which is taking place in Casablanca, aims to provide Malta-based businesses the opportunity to expand into new markets, unlock new opportunities and strengthening existing partnerships.

Anton Buttigieg, CEO of TradeMalta commented ‘the long-term plan is to organise other visits to Morocco and other strategic markets in the coming months. It is encouraging that so many businesses are showing an increasing interest in doing business in Africa. Our visit to Morocco is based on the assessment that Morocco, apart from being an interesting market in itself, is building the institutional capacity and infrastructure to become a gateway to the African continent. TradeMalta encourages Malta-based companies interested in taking their business across borders to approach TradeMalta with their ideas and plans’.

TradeMalta is organizing the first Malta – Morocco business forum in Casablanca. This will be followed by a business-to-business matchmaking session which will provide an opportunity to the Maltese delegation to discuss potential business opportunities. Further meetings are planned throughout the mission, mainly with private enterprises, social partners and government institutions.

BOV Goes Green for Mental Health

Posted on by Mel Chamber

On Friday, 26th May 2023, BOV employees swapped their normal formal work attire for a more casual look with green being the highlight colour for the day. This initiative was undertaken by the Bank to raise mental health awareness, as part of European Mental Health Week held between the 22nd and 28th May 2023.

“Green is internationally recognized as the symbol of mental health awareness,” explained Ray Debattista who heads the Bank’s People and Culture function. “It is customary for people to wear green to show that they care about mental health issues and give it the importance it is due.” He went on to explain that “Bank of Valletta is a service provider that focuses on providing its customers with the highest level of service possible. However, we can only do this if we have a strong workforce that is healthy in both mind and body. We feel it is our responsibility to continue striving to create a work environment which tangibly supports the wellbeing of our people.”

This sentiment was reiterated by CEO Kenneth Farrugia, who acknowledged the hard work that Bank employees put into their daily job. “At Bank of Valletta, we recognise the importance of maintaining a healthy mindset and approach in everything we do. Promoting mental health is an integral part of this reality, which is no longer restricted to the office but also extends to the home environment. For us, this is not merely something we commemorate once a year – as one of the largest employers in Malta we adopt an ongoing approach to safeguarding the welfare of our people, thereby truly living up to our promise to be the Employer of Choice for our people.”

As part of its wellness benefits, BOV offers its people immediate and confidential access to counselling and support services through its ongoing partnership with The Richmond Foundation. In addition, BOV employees receive an annual allowance for items and services that contribute towards their physical and mental well-being. More initiatives are earmarked in this area, with a view to promoting a more active and healthier lifestyle among the Bank’s community. Employee well-being is also important, with the Bank providing opportunities for skills enhancement, personal growth, emotional intelligence development, and fostering a culture of continuous learning. This year the Bank revamped its BOV Sports and Social Club, which had been in hiatus during the pandemic. Through this initiative, activities such as quiz nights, cycling, photography and trekking are organised to bring people together socially. Meanwhile, the Bank continues to involve staff in staple favorities like the BOV Summer Event and Christmas Reception.

During the event organised on Friday, several teams across the Bank took team photos and submitted messages promoting mental health. Among the slogans put forward, the below short poem received from Roberto Schembri is worth highlighting:

Switch off that screen
And go into the green
It will give you the energy of a teen
And don’t forget to eat lots of green
As it will get you more lean

New EU Funding Schemes: How can you benefit?

Posted on by Mel Chamber

Earlier this week, The Malta Chamber, in collaboration with EMCS, Fondi.eu and MBB organised an event which saw the launch of new EU schemes and included a number of speakers that highlighted how business can access such funds successfully.

President Chris Vassallo Cesareo emphasised that The Malta Chamber has always been very supportive of the use of such funds helping the business to grow, innovate and compete. He also highlighted 3 main points:

  • the use of public funds requires greater responsibility and transparency, it also believes that a balance needs to be found between the requirements of public procurement and the spirit of sound financial management that is expected from the private sector
  • The Malta  Chamber also welcomes the use of EU funding to support the Energy and Green Transition
  • schemes need to be aligned with market prices so that they will be as effective as possible

CEO Dr Marthese Portelli explained The Malta Chamber’s input on ensuring better access to funds for business and simplification of the application process. She also highlighted the pitfall to avoid and also gave tips on how to submit a successful application.