The Malta Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises has ditched its old name, the General Retailers and Traders Union (GRTU), to reflect the modern and contemporary SME representative body it is today.
The rebranding was necessary for the organisation to visibly reflect who it represents and how it evolved beyond just retailers and traders to all of Malta’s economic sectors, being micro, small and medium enterprises, president Paul Abela said on Monday.
The SME Chamber is the longest standing business representative and has today grown to become the largest by representing SMEs from all economic sectors operating in Malta.
Our new name reflects our wider representation and thanks to EU funding this is being complemented by fresh branding and an outreach strategy that will help spread information about the effectiveness and value of social dialogue, Mr Abela said.
He said the organisation has always been very vociferous and always spoke freely in the interest of Maltese businesses and the national interest.
“We have done this irrespective of who is in government because our interest is solely the national interest and that of our members,” he said.
He said a study undertaken recently has confirmed how the majority of respondents feel that the organisation speaks in the national interest, showing wide appreciation for the important role the organisation plays in today’s social, economic and political scenario.
CEO Abigail Mamo explained how Malta’s business demographics in terms of diversity of sectors operating in Malta has evolved over the years.
The service industry has grown exponentially and many new refined and value-added sectors have entered the economy in recent years and this is reflected in the membership base.
“With these new sectors joining us, we have also developed new services to cater to their needs. Our brand reflects the enterprises we represent and how our own organisation has grown over the years. With our new brand and further service development we are ready to take on the opportunities and challenges facing our members in 2020 and the years to come,” she said.
Economy Minister Silvio Schembri and Parliamentary Secretary for European Funds Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi were present for the rebranding launch.