APS Bank recently led a Malta ESG Alliance (MESGA) networking event focusing on sustainability reporting standards for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Hosted by Alberta Group at Madliena Cottage, the event brought together sustainability practitioners, business representatives, with participation from the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG).
EFRAG Sustainability Reporting Senior Technical Manager Elisa Bevilacqua delivered a presentation on the Voluntary Sustainability Reporting Standard for SMEs (VSME) and the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS). She outlined recent developments in the EU sustainability reporting landscape and explained how the VSME framework can help businesses respond to growing requests for sustainability information from regulators, financial institutions and business partners.
APS Bank’s Head of Sustainability Matthew Swain and Sustainability Manager Pinar Bahar Yücel also shared reflections from the Bank’s first year of voluntary sustainability reporting, including the development of internal governance processes and data collection practices.
“Sustainability reporting is increasingly becoming part of good governance and long-term business resilience,” Ms Yücel said. “Our experience shows that sustainability reporting is not simply about producing a report, but about building the internal structures, processes and understanding that support better decision-making over time.”
As a founding member of MESGA, APS Bank continues to support collaboration and dialogue around responsible business practices and sustainability in Malta.
