The Malta Business Bureau (MBB) and the HSBC Malta CSR Institute have hosted their first set of online webinars on food waste reduction, expanding these sessions to an international audience. These were organised as part of the Business Against Food Waste Campaign led by the MBB, in partnership with HSBC Malta and ITS, and with the support of Wasteserv, the Malta Tourism Authority and the Ministry for Tourism and Consumer Protection.
The partners have now hosted more than 250 participants over six seminars and two webinars. Participants have come from several sectors, namely manufacturing, hospitality, services, retail, the public sector, post-secondary schools, and the general public. Another set of webinars will be held on May 28 and 29. These will feature an expert line-up of speakers, each bringing a different perspective to the food waste challenge.
Discussing the support MBB gives to the local business community, MBB CEO Joe Tanti said: “We are committed to keep on helping businesses improve the sustainability of their operations and increase efficiency. The MBB has managed projects ranging from water conservation and energy efficiency, to food waste reduction, all of which tie into the EU’s Green Deal strategy. Increasing resource efficiency and cutting costs are even more relevant now with COVID-19’s implications for businesses.”
HSBC Malta corporate sustainability manager Glenn Bugeja highlighted the bank’s commitment towards fostering greater sustainability within the community.
“Through the Malta CSR Institute, we have managed to educate and raise awareness on key topics which have a real impact on our lives, such as water and resource efficiency. We have now seen that there is great enthusiasm to find ways to reduce food waste among our employees, clients and the public at large,” he said.
Reflecting on the progress achieved within the campaign, MBB project manager Gabriel Cassar said: “Reducing food waste is one area which holds a lot of potential and which will result in significant environmental and economic benefits. The strong interest seen so far shows that we are on the right track. Naturally, the current situation has forced us to rethink our strategy. However, we are confident that online training is the way forward and will allow us to reach even more people, while reducing travel and our carbon footprint.”
For more information, contact Glenn Bugeja, HSBC manager for corporate sustainability, on glenn. bugeja@hsbc. com. For more information on the Business Against Food Waste Campaign, contact MBB project manager Gabriel Cassar on gcassar@mbb.org.mt or visit www.mbb.org.mt/business-against-food-waste.