Malta Employers Urge National Commitment to ESG as a Pillar of Competitiveness

Malta Employers has successfully engaged diverse stakeholders to support a common vision of ESG as a national priority for future competitiveness, fostering a forward-looking, sustainable, and innovative Maltese economy. This call came during the Association’s SME National Forum, themed ‘Excellence through ESG – a Path to Long-Term Business Success,’ held as part of SME Week 2025.

Malta Employers President Ivan Refalo said that ESG represents a deep and necessary transformation in how successful organisations operate and interact with society. “ESG is about embedding core principles that make our organisations resilient, future-proof and trustworthy. Malta can distinguish itself not just as a place to invest, but as a country where people genuinely aspire to build their careers, raise their families, and contribute to a thriving society. That is the vision we must work towards.”

Malta Employers Director General, Kevin J Borg added: “ESG is a pathway to excellence. It builds stronger, more resilient companies, enterprises that are efficient, innovative and trusted. ESG instils a culture that drives everyone to act with integrity, manage risk proactively and place value creation for all stakeholders—employees, shareholders, clients and communities”.

Numerous stakeholders from the public and private sectors, including representatives of government entities, authorities and private firms took part in the Forum, which featured interactive sessions that facilitated open debate and the exchange of ideas on the subject. The discussions converged to a general recognition that when businesses – as well as the State – uphold social responsibility, good governance and environmental awareness, they generate trust, which is a fundamental requirement in the quest for economic resilience and sustainable growth.

The event was addressed by the President of Malta, H.E. Dr Myriam Spiteri Debono who argued that while Malta is targeting ambitious growth levels through its Vision 2050, the country must ensure that such growth is sustainable for generations to come. She added that ESG is not just a framework, but a modus operandi that guides businesses towards sustainable growth, ethical leadership and meaningful impact on society and the economy.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Anglu Farrugia said that Malta’s path forward should be one that balances competitiveness with consciousness. ESG, he noted, is about creating value through the way decisions are made and how organisations build trust. He argued that social excellence, in this context, means ensuring fairness, safety and dignity in the workplace, where every person, Maltese and foreign — feels valued and protected.

The event was also addressed by the Minister for the Economy, Enterprise and Strategic Projects, Hon. Silvio Schembri, and the Shadow Minister for the Economy and Enterprise, Hon. Jerome Caruana Cilia. Whilst they presented their respective political perspectives, both emphasised the need for a stronger national commitment toward ESG principles. Their alignment on this issue signalled a shared understanding of the importance of ESG as a driver of sustainable growth and competitiveness, a convergence that augurs well for Malta’s long-term development.

Malta Employers will consolidate the conference’s insights and outcomes into a formal, research-based publication outlining the key recommendations and takeaways from this extensive discussion. The Association also intends to leverage these outcomes to make the appropriate policy proposals in the interest of the Malta’s business community and the wider economy.

ENDS

6 November 2025