The Malta Employers Association has called for a practical, business-led approach to ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) in Malta, highlighting the growing need to move beyond awareness and towards meaningful implementation, particularly in the areas of social responsibility and corporate governance.

This follows a wide-ranging consultation process led by the Association, including a focus group held earlier this year involving over 25 senior stakeholders from across the public and private sector. The findings underline that while ESG is now firmly on the national agenda, the gap between understanding and implementation remains substantial, particularly for smaller firms.

“ESG is no longer a question of ‘if’ but ‘how’ and in Malta’s case, ‘how soon’,” said Kevin J. Borg, Director-General of the Malta Employers’ Association.

“Organisations that integrate strong social and governance principles into their operations are more resilient, more trusted and ultimately more competitive. The challenge now is to make these principles accessible and better known, particularly for responsible SMEs that want to do the right thing but often lack the tools or capacity to do so effectively.”

The Malta Employers consultations identified several recurring themes, namely the importance of values-based leadership, the central role of workplace health and safety, the need for stronger board governance, and the critical lack of reliable, disaggregated data to support evidence-based ESG practices.

These findings will serve as a discussion platform during the forthcoming conference, “Excellence through ESG – A Path to Long-Term Business Success,” to be held on 6 November 2025 as part of the EU-wide SME Week.

The event will explore how ESG practices can evolve from perceived burdens into strategic assets, especially in areas like access to finance, talent identification and retention as well as brand reputation.

Malta Employers aims to present a comprehensive report to the government following the conference, with recommendations rooted in both research and stakeholder input.

“Malta has a real opportunity to position itself not just as a leader in ESG-driven business excellence,” Mr Borg added.

“This is what the Islands should be aspiring to – well beyond treating ESG as a mere compliance exercise.  But this requires coordinated effort, honest dialogue and a shift in mindset, and an effective filtering-down of   tone from the top and long-term value creation.”

For more information or to register interest in the conference, visit https://maltaemployers.com.