CORE Platform Annual Report 2016-2017

CORE Platform
Annual Report 2016-2017

Editorial
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has been on the agenda of many businesses and
government bodies in Europe for a number of years. In the case of Malta, however, this concept is
still in its infancy. Therefore, it was on the initiative of Her Excellency, the President of Malta, Marie-
Louise Coleiro Preca, that a task force made up of business institutions and non-governmental
entities was set up. This eventually led to the creation of CORE Platform, the national platform on
CSR in Malta, in September 2015.
CORE Platform, which is under the patronage of Her Excellency, is made up of the business
institutions in the country, 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.
I was appointed President of this new organisation on behalf of the Malta Chamber of Commerce,
Enterprise and Industry. CORE Platform also took on Ms Maria Rauch, who had been instrumental
in its formation, as Chief Executive Officer.
The first step we needed to take was that of applying to become members of CSR Europe, which
is a powerful entity based in Brussels that lobbies on CSR at European level. Maria and myself
met up with representatives from CSR Europe in Brussels on May 2016 and were very welcomed,
especially since Malta had yet to feature at a European level when it came to CSR initiatives.
As the board of CORE Platform had decided to opt against individual membership, various
companies were approached for sponsorships and here I must sincerely thank AX Hotels, Alfred
Mizzi Foundation, Tumas Foundation, Corinthia Group of Companies, Demajo Group, Bank of
Valletta, Advise Ltd., as well as Farsons Foundation and Think Ltd. who are sponsoring our website.
Moreover, I must mention the Malta Community Chest Fund, which very kindly agreed to give us
a grant to help CORE Platform find its feet. Without your generosity and support, we would not be
here today.
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Unfortunately, Maria, who lived in Germany, had to leave CORE Platform due to logistical
problems, which made it very difficult to work on local projects. Thus, Matteo Privitelli joined the
organisation in May 2016 as its Executive.
In order to create an action plan for CSR, CORE Platform has held meetings with a vast number
of stakeholders, including SMEs, large companies and corporations, NGOs, government ministries
and entities, as well as local councils. As priorities, the following actions were established:
• To encourage small and medium size businesses to take part in CSR activities, mainly in
their localities;
• To create with local councils a priority task to be handled, such as the maintenance of
playgrounds;
• To take part in European CSR-related projects;
• To take part in local projects with NGOs, local communities, and businesses;
• To create CSR Awards.
In the meantime, CORE Platform has been engaged in a number of local and European projects.
The local projects include “Volunteer Siema”, “Working Roma”, “Resilient Communities”, “The
President’s Trust Employment Initiative”, “The President’s Trust Youth Empowerment Initiative”,
“Leaders For A Day”, as well as a project on playing fields within our local communities. The
European projects CORE Platform is involved in are “EUTalent”, which focuses on apprenticeships,
and “Stereotypes in the field of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)”, which
is to start in the coming months and will be focusing on reducing the gap present between the
girls and boys that opt for STEM subjects at school and at University.
Due to our limited resources, we have not been able to do more, but we know that we are
working in the right direction and, hopefully, we will be able to gain more momentum in the
months to come.
We had, since the very beginning, told the Government that Malta is the only EU country that
does not have a national CSR Plan. Even so, this was acknowledged and we offered to co-ordinate
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this with all the Ministries concerned yet, until today, we have not managed to get this done. This
is something that is urgently needed for Malta. We need to have a national plan outlining our
country’s priorities, so everybody can focus and work in the same direction.
In Malta, a lot is being done by companies, especially the larger ones. Moreover, tremendous
work is being done by the various NGOs, however we need a national plan to clearly set out the
priorities in order to achieve better outcomes. We also need to link all the CSR activities to the
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are part of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development and are a list of 17 goals aimed at promoting peace and prosperity for
all, ending all forms of poverty, fighting inequalities, and addressing climate change issues. There
are many businesses that do not know about them and actually also do not know that they are in
some cases already working towards them, such as the introduction of PVC panels, to name just
one example. Thus, more awareness needs to be created.
Therefore, as a concluding remark, CORE Platform will always be committed in supporting any
CSR initiatives happening both locally and abroad, and will always try to use its resources to
encourage businesses to adopt policies that will help their employees and their communities.
This will help them in the long run as more people will start choosing them over their competitors.
After all, CSR pays your business!
Helga Ellul
President
CORE Platform
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Local Projects
CSR Day
On the 16th of June 2017, CORE Platform collaborated with the President’s Foundation for
the Wellbeing of Society and organised an event to promote Corporate Social Responsibility
by facilitating networking between NGOs and businesses at local and national level, under the
patronage of Her Excellency, The President of Malta.
The event aimed:
• To encourage networking between the three main stakeholders: NGOs, small and largescale
businesses and Local Councils;
• To increase awareness and inform all stakeholders involved about the benefits and the
process required to access Corporate Social Responsibility;
• To make businesses more aware of the rewards when investing in Corporate Social
Responsibility;
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• To support, facilitate and encourage networking between all stakeholders within their local
community and at national level.
• To share good practice of projects where Corporate Social Responsibility was adopted.
CORE Platform and the PFWS hosted Ms. Celia Moore, a renowned international speaker from
CSR Europe as keynote speaker. Dr Marie Briguglio then facilitated a panel debate entitled “Sharing
good local practice”.
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Leaders For A Day
In October 2016, Mrs Helga Ellul represented CORE Platform at the ‘Leaders For A Day’ event lead
by Junior Achievement Young Enterprise and hosted by the Malta Chamber of Commerce. The
main objective of the initiative was to offer 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. On the occasion, there were 23 Alumni and CEOs
participating who, together with the Minister for Education, the Honourable Evarist Bartolo, signed
a letter of intent to continue supporting Entrepreneurship Education activities.
Apart from this, the event, which is
expected to be held annually, aimed to
promote further the CP and the ESP among
the business community, schools, as well as
the decision-makers in Malta.
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The President’s Trust Employment Initiative
CORE Platform is currently supporting the President’s Trust in its Employment Initiative, which
aims to help young people, who are coming from difficult backgrounds and are going through
personal challenges, find employment in Malta.
On Wednesday 1 st March
2017, representatives from
the business sector and
from institutions and unions
including the Malta Employers’
Association and the General
Retailers and Traders Union
met to discuss how the
initiative can move forward
and develop further.
The President’s Trust Youth Empowerment Initiative
CORE Platform is helping the President’s Trust in its Youth Empowerment Initiative, which aims
to help give a voice and empower young people in the South-East region of Malta and allow them
to become active citizens. This will be done primarily through the setting up of a skatepark in
Birżebbuġa.
On the 26 th of May 2017, a
meeting with stakeholders
was held at San Anton Palace
in Attard. This meeting was
addressed by Her Excellency,
Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca,
President of Malta. Further
follow-up meetings are being
planned for the coming months.
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Volunteer Sliema
Volunteer Sliema is a Partnership between SOS Malta and Core Platform and is supported by
Sliema Local Council and Capua Hospital. This multi-stakeholder local partnership will develop
an innovative community based response to the needs of vulnerable elderly people to ensure
a reduction of their social exclusion, whilst contributing to a reawakening of the spirit of selfgiving
and active citizenship within the community through the development of a local volunteer
scheme. This project will be a flagship project to celebrate 25 years of SOS Malta. This project will
seek 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.
Additionally, the project will seek to provide emotional support to these groups of people through
the creation of a Community Volunteers Network.
This pilot project will build upon both the existing VolServ project and Tal-Kultura – the volunteer
programme for Valletta 2018, which currently together have approximately 500 volunteers. The
scheme will also utilise the existing the SOS Malta car and the wealth of volunteer management
experience SOS Malta holds and will contribute to the SOS Malta core pillar of work of social
inclusion and solidarity with vulnerable groups. The proposed pilot project would take place in
Sliema. This area is one of the main shopping hubs with a wide catchment area.
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The project will include 3 key elements:
1) The development of a local volunteer network of 20-30 volunteers to ensure a pool of
support for the elderly;
2) The development of a community transport scheme to promote the mobility of the elderly
and those with a disability;
3) The establishment of a local stakeholder network who support the implementation of the
scheme.
Resilient Communities
CORE Platform is partnering with SOS Malta to promote cross-sector partnerships for the
implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at a local level. The vision behind
this project, which is part-financed by the Malta Community Chest Fund, stems from the need to
begin addressing the 17 goals for sustainable development committed to by UN world leaders in
2015.
To this end, this particular project considers the pivotal role that businesses could play in
complementing ongoing and new local efforts to establish a more equitable, inclusive
and sustainable society but also recognises the need for transformative change in order for
companies to integrate environmental, social and good governance approaches into their
business framework. The idea is to address existing barriers to involvement of businesses in
the SDGs, including lack of knowledge; lack of leadership and a lack of potential gains through
different means including:
i) The creation of an online hub on Responsible Business which will provide an interactive
space for learning and knowledge exchange;
ii) A public campaign which will engage citizens and encourage them to push businesses and
local authorities to become engaged in tackling SDGs at a local level;
iii) Organising participatory workshops involving all relevant actors to foster a cooperative
environment;
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iv) Working towards the development of local sustainable development action plans for
certain localities.
The specific objectives of the project are as follows:
1) Increasing awareness amongst the Maltese business sector, consumers, civil society and
local government regarding the SDGs and the collective responsibility of all to take action
for their achievement;
2) Engaging all players in constructive dialogue and action on Responsible Business for the
achievement of global sustainability; and
3) Contributing to behaviour change of Maltese businesses through awareness and
engagement and thus encourage the incorporation of responsible policies, practices and
collaboration with local stakeholders to ensure local community development approaches.
Working Roma
This project is funded by the
European Union – JUST/2014/RDIS/
AG/DISC – which aims to provide new
tools, based on the exchange of best
practices, to prevent intolerance in
the labour market towards migrants.
The majority of working age migrants and foreigners in Central and Southern Europe do not
have a job and many have been out of work for a considerable length of time.
The high levels of unemployment of working migrant people are most often perceived as a
problem of scarce supply-side in the labour market, due to low levels of education and professional
qualifications of migrants and foreigners. However, there is another dimension, less spoken and
recognised, that is discrimination.
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Discrimination significantly aggravates the situation and causes systemic exclusion from
employment for a large number of the migrant and foreign communities.
CORE Platform has partnered with Paragon Europe and has embarked on a mission to overcome
this discriminatory environment in Malta and within the Maltese business community.
In May and June 2017, the first workshops on the issue were held at the premises of the Foundation
for Human Resources Development in Sliema and Paragon Europe in Mosta respectively, with a
number of entrepreneurs, employers, as well as the migrants and foreigners themselves actively
participating in the debates.
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Playing fields in our local communities
CORE Platform is collaborating with the Local Council Association (LCA) as well as with the
councillors of Maltese communities themselves with regards to the playing fields found in our
localities. The aim of the initiative is to preserve and maintain 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.
On Tuesday 07 th March 2017, a number of mayors, executive secretaries, and other representatives
of local councils in Malta, together with Dr Marc Sant, President of the LCA and representatives of
CORE Platform met to discuss the problems and obstacles that are hindering the development of
playing fields. This event was held at the President’s Kitchen Garden in Attard.
Many interesting points were raised, however, the most important one concerned the heavy
costs that the local council must incur to maintain and insure the playing field. Therefore, for this
reason, CORE Platform is communicating with the Malta Developers Association (MDA) as well as
with insurance companies to see ways of how these costs and burdens could be reduced.
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European Projects
EUTalent
CORE Platform is one of 13 National Partner Organisations engaged in the CSR Europe-led
EUTalent project. The main objective of this Erasmus+ funded project is to involve and
encourage Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to offer more, and better quality,
apprenticeships.
CORE CORE Platform Platform is one is one of 13 of National 13 National Partner Organisations engaged in the CSR Europe-led
Partner EUTalent SMEs Organisations play project. a big The role main engaged
today's objective of this Erasmus+ funded project is to involve and
in
encourage economy,
the CSR Europe-led
Small and
EUTalent
Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to offer more, and better quality,
apprenticeships.
especially in countries like
project. The main objective of
Malta, which depend heavily
this Erasmus+ funded project is
SMEs on play them. a big SMEs role have in today's a lot of
to involve and encourage Small
economy,
potential when it comes to
and Medium the provision Enterprises of development (SMEs)
especially in countries like
to offer and more, and better quality,
Malta, which depend heavily
apprenticeships. employment opportunities, as
on them. SMEs have a lot of
well as apprenticeships. The
SMEs potential play a when big role it comes in today’s
problem here is that, very
the provision of development
economy, often, especially SMEs lack in the countries sufficient
and
like Malta, information, which depend heavily
employment opportunities, as
on them. resources, SMEs and have experience a lot of to
well as apprenticeships. The
potential provide when it high comes to quality the
problem here is that, very
provision apprenticeships.
of development and
often, SMEs lack the sufficient
employment opportunities, as well
information, To support SMEs this
as apprenticeships. The problem
resources, EUTalent and project experience aims to to
here is that, very often, SMEs lack
provide create support high structures quality in
the
apprenticeships.
sufficient information, resources,
the form of European and
and experience national learning to provide networks. high
To support SMEs this
14
EUTalent project aims to
create support structures in
the form of European and

quality apprenticeships. To support SMEs this EUTalent project aims to create support structures
in the form of European and national learning networks.
The main aims of this project include:
The The main aims aims of this of project this project include: include:
The main
aims
Increasing
of this project
awareness
include:
on the benefits of apprenticeships,
Increasing
√ Increasing
awareness opportunities
on the benefits for
of apprenticeships,
Increasing awareness on the benefits of apprenticeships,
Increasing
of apprenticeships,
uptake
opportunities
of apprenticeships,
for
Increasing opportunities for
uptake
Improving
of apprenticeships,
uptake of apprenticeships,
the quality of the
√ Increasing Improving
apprenticeships,
opportunities the quality for of uptake the of
Improving the quality of the
apprenticeships,
apprenticeships,
Identifying and removing
Identifying
policy obstacles
and removing
to engage in
√ Improving Identifying the and quality removing
policy of the
apprenticeships.
obstacles to engage in
apprenticeships,
policy obstacles to engage in
apprenticeships.
apprenticeships.
√ Identifying and removing policy obstacles to engage in apprenticeships.
EUTalent offers a number of benefits to businesses. These include, among other things,
EUTalent offers a number of benefits to businesses.
enhancing
These include,
the reputation
among other
of the
things,
employer
EUTalent offers a number a of benefits of benefits to businesses. to These These include, include, among among other other things, things,
enhancing
and business,
the reputation
as well
of
as
the
attracting,
employer
and
enhancing the reputation of of the employer
and
and
making
business,
the
as
most
well as
of,
attracting,
new and
and
diverse
and business, business,
making
as well as as well attracting, as attracting, and making and the
talent,
the
whilst
most
equipping
of, new and
youngsters
diverse
with
making most talent, of, new the and most diverse of, new talent, and whilst diverse equipping
the
whilst
necessary
equipping
skills for
youngsters
the current
with
labour
talent,
youngsters
whilst
the necessary with
equipping
the necessary
youngsters
skills for the
with
current
market. This
skills
will
for
then
the
lead
current
to easier
labour
access
the necessary skills for the current labour
labour market. market. This will then lead to easier access
of talented
This will
potential
then lead
employees.
to easier access
market. This will then lead to easier access
of of talented potential employees.
of talented potential employees.
If you or your business want to become involved in this project, or would like to know
If you
more
or your
about
business
the project,
want
CSR
to become
Europe,
involved
or CORE Platform,
in this project,
kindly
or
contact
would
Mrs
like
Helga
to know
Ellul on
If you or your business want to become involved in this project, or would like to know
more
15
helga.ellul@good-advise.com
about the project, CSR Europe,
or
or
Mr
CORE
Matteo
Platform,
Privitelli
kindly
on matteo.privitelli@core.org.mt.
contact Mrs Helga Ellul on
more about the project, CSR Europe, or CORE Platform, kindly contact Mrs Helga Ellul on
helga.ellul@good-advise.com or Mr Matteo Privitelli on matteo.privitelli@core.org.mt.
helga.ellul@good-advise.com or Mr Matteo Privitelli on matteo.privitelli@core.org.mt.

Tackling Gender Stereotypes in the field of Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)
CORE Platform, together with CSR Europe and 14 other National Partner Organisations, has
embarked on a mission to address the stereotyping of education and career choices relating to
STEM and to dissolve the persisting imbalance in the STEM field.
Project activities include:
• Setting up of business-education partnerships to deliver awareness-raising activities for 13-
19 year-old students, their parents, and company representatives to address and question
stereotypes and attract women into male-dominated STEM sectors;
• Developing a toolkit and provision of training for national partner organisations on how to
set-up business-education partnerships on STEM and gender Stereotypes;
• Having an impact assessment of activities;
• Facilitating a learning network for companies at both national and EU level that aims
to improve the impact of a company’s STEM programme (with an emphasis on tackling
gender stereotypes).
• Developing and providing training, online courses and a guide for teachers so that they are
equipped with all the tools necessary to combat gender stereotypes.
The Executive Committee of CORE Platform is comprised of the Malta Chamber of Commerce,
Enterprise and Industry (President), GRTU – Chamber of SMEs (Secretary), SOS Malta
(Treasurer), the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association, the Malta Employers’ Association,
the Malta Business Bureau, BoV Foundation, Alfred Mizzi Foundation, TUMAS Foundation,
Farsons Foundation, and AX Holdings Ltd.
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“For more and better corporate citizenship”
GET IN TOUCH
The address of CORE Platform is:
The Malta Chamber of Commerce,
Enterprise and Industry,
The Exchange Buildings,
Republic Street
Valletta, VLT 1117
Malta
You can find CORE Platform’s website by following this link: http://www.core.org.mt/
Our Facebook page can be accessed by following this link: https://www.facebook.
com/COREPlatformMalta/