Background information

WE MAKE (Water and Energy Management and Knowledge Transfer in Manufacturing Enterprises) is a collaborative project between the Energy & Water Agency (EWA), Malta Business Bureau (MBB), and The Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry (Malta Chamber). The project focused on improving engagement in the business community regarding energy and water conservation, and in particular, to encourage organisations to implement energy and water efficiency-related projects. The project focused on organisations of all sizes within the manufacturing sector.

The Malta Business Bureau is the EU business advisory organisation of The Malta Chamber and The Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association. It is also a partner of the Enterprise Europe Network.

Content of measure

The project aimed to: encourage more SMEs to make use of the Energy and Water Agency's energy audit scheme; enhance the number of water and energy efficiency projects that enterprises conduct by means of their finances as well as via external support; foster a culture of research-driven, innovative business-led projects; and integrate more Maltese businesses within related EU projects.

The project aimed to organise a number of related workshops, as well as a mentoring programme to provide support between larger and smaller organisations. Workshops relating to available support measures, skill needs, case studies from local organisations, on-location visits to organisations that demonstrated 'best practices', and presentations about international best practices in manufacturing were organised.

Use of measure

A total of 12 workshops were organised. Furthermore, two mentoring programmes were carried out that provided support between larger and smaller companies. Energy audits were carried out, however the number was not disclosed. Research was also carried out for a second iteration of Malta’s Energy Efficiency Partner Initiative (EEPI) based on signatory consultation (A voluntary agreement between non-SEMs and the Agency, committing to implement measures that increase energy efficiency on an annual basis). Further projects were won by applying to the EU LIFE programme as part of European consortia with over 30+ European partners.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	Applies to all businesses	Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government Employers' organisations	National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	No involvement	Agreed (outcome) incl. social partner initiative
Form	Not applicable	Direct consultation outside a formal body

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• Only employers' organisations
• Main level of involvement: Sectoral or branch level

Involvement

The WE MAKE project was set up through an August 2021 cooperation agreement between the Energy and Water Agency and the Malta Business Bureau partnered with the Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry. No other social partners appear to have been involved in this project.

During a 2021 conference held to open the project, with representatives of all three entities present, as well as the Minister for Environment, Energy and Enterprise, Miriam Dalli, President of the Malta Business Bureau, Ms Alison Mizzi said, “....We have learnt that, while considerable technical knowledge on efficiency does exist, it is concentrated in a few performing businesses. The same can be said for knowledge of financing options. We therefore believe that it is important to have an ongoing mechanism for knowledge transfer and aim for the WE MAKE project to fulfil this role” (EWA statement, 2021).

Views and reactions

During one of the last events held for this measure in July 2023, representatives of the MBB and Malta Chamber expressed their satisfaction with the outputs of the measure, highlighting the benefits of sharing best practices and mentoring one another, 'to grow the share of the industry pie, rather than fighting over slices of it'. Seeing this as a 'win-win situation' for manufacturing in Malta (Malta Chamber, 2023).

Sectors and occupations

This case is not occupation-specific.

Sources

• 31 August 2021: WE MAKE: A new project for business to implement sustainable investments (energywateragency.gov.mt)
• 29 July 2023: EWA - We Make (energywateragency.gov.mt)
• 04 August 2024: Malta Chamber - WE MAKE closes with a promise of further business energy collaboration (maltachamber.org.mt)