Malta CEOs must lead the charge in smarter giving, urges 2025 report

The Giving Report Malta – 2025, published by the Academy of Givers, offers an in-depth look at corporate responsibility (CR) trends across Malta, highlighting the vital role businesses play in shaping the country’s social and environmental landscape. Drawing on surveys, interviews, and case studies, the report outlines challenges, showcases success stories, and lays out clear recommendations to make giving more strategic and impactful.

The report reveals that 78.57 per cent of Maltese businesses and nearly 70 per cent of NGOs report active partnerships, showing that corporate-NGO collaborations remain essential pillars for societal progress. Yet, despite this enthusiasm, corporate support is often short-term and project-specific, focusing largely on restricted funding rather than long-term structural support.

NGOs continue to face struggles with operational funding, particularly for salaries and administration, leading many to repackage their work into projects just to attract funds.

Survey data shows that nearly 48 per cent of businesses allocate less than €20,000 annually to CSR activities, while only 2.38 per cent exceed €200,000. Even among larger organisations, there are resource limitations that restrict the scale and sustainability of impact. Meanwhile, NGOs report that contributions from businesses make up only 10 per cent or less of their yearly income in nearly half of cases, underscoring a continued reliance on government agreements, grants, and individual donations.

While businesses increasingly demand measurable outcomes, NGOs often lack the tools, resources, and standardised frameworks to report impact effectively. Misaligned expectations, short funding cycles, and administrative burdens further hinder collaboration. Many NGOs rely heavily on volunteers and small teams – 39 per cent operate with just four-17 employees, and 26 per cent have only one-three employees – limiting their capacity to meet business partners' expectations.

Additionally, businesses often prefer restricted, project-specific contributions, leaving NGOs struggling to cover core operational needs. Short-term support remains the norm, with long-term partnerships still a challenge despite their recognised importance for sustainable planning.

Recommendations

The Giving Report outlines clear actions to strengthen the Maltese giving ecosystem:

• Foster long-term, mission-aligned partnerships with multi-year commitments, not just one-off projects.
• Invest in NGO capacity building by offering mentorship, training, and access to impact measurement tools.
• Develop standardised impact measurement frameworks to increase transparency and build trust.
• Leverage tax incentives to encourage businesses to support underfunded causes.
• Broaden the scope of support beyond financial donations to include in-kind contributions, employee volunteering, and pro bono services.

Businesses, NGOs, Government, and platforms like the Academy of Givers all have critical roles to play in driving systemic change.

The report’s conclusion is clear: Malta’s CEOs and business leaders must move beyond traditional philanthropy and embrace a "more than money" approach. By prioritising strategic partnerships, aligning with Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles, and addressing root causes rather than symptoms, companies can amplify their impact, foster resilience, and secure a sustainable future for the nation.