Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1182484
maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 6 NOVEMBER 2019 12 COMMERCIAL "SUSTAINABILITY affects every single one of us, from swimming in the sea with plastic to how we are treated in the work place," says Fiona Hornstein, Founder and Team Leader of Action Planet. With this in mind, she is looking forward to speaking at the upcoming Malta Sustainability Forum – which is taking place next week – because "it is so important that we unite to find solutions to positively impact Mal- ta's sustainability. There are so many amazing initiatives being undertaken in Malta but there is little awareness of them." Hornstein is a creative entrepreneur. A mother of two with a keen love for the island, she is currently leading the nationwide sustainability initia- tive, Action Planet – Business, which brings together sustainability experts to develop a one-stop shop to promote and support sustainability in the is- land's business sector. It is this cohe- sion and collaboration that she thinks is key to finding solutions for Malta's sustainability. And the Malta Sustain- ability Forum, or MSF, answers this vital need perfectly. But what does sustainability mean to Hornstein? "We need to look at the three pillars – economic, social and environmen- tal," she says. "To achieve true sustain- ability, all of them need to be consid- ered. We not only need to look at how our everyday choices are impacting our environment but also what we are doing to replenish resources. We need to consider how people of all ethnici- ties, genders and abilities are treated in the workplace and community. We also need to look at how our sustain- ability choices can positively impact economies by using free energy, and developing more paperless and circu- lar economies," she explains. The Malta Sustainability Forum, which is open to the public and will be held on 14 November at The Westin Dragonara Resort, is co-sponsored by some of the island's most sustainabil- ity-focused businesses, namely APS Bank, PwC, GO, GasanMamo and Cool Car Pooling. The event is the first of its kind on the island, and its main objective is to raise awareness on the topic of sus- tainability and empower Malta's citi- zens to make conscious decisions to- wards achieving a sustainable life. In fact, the overarching theme this year is the 'Thinking Citizen'. At the event, a panel of top local and international speakers will present practical cases about how to move Malta's sustainability agenda forward, followed by moderated discussions. HE The President of Malta, Dr George Vella, will open the Forum and the keynote speech will be given by the Hon. Minister José Herrera, Minister for the Environment, Sustainable De- velopment, and Climate Change. Oth- er speakers will include Adrien Laba- eye – Sharing Cities Fellow and PhD researcher at Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Carl Pratt – Founder of Future Planet, and, of course, Ms Hornstein. The Forum is targeting both consum- ers and corporations, and Ms Horn- stein is keen to point out that both groups play a critical role in achieving sustainability for future generations. "As individuals, changing some sim- ple every day habits can make a dif- ference – from reducing what we consume to ensuring that we recycle,' she points out. "As businesses, putting into place sustainability policies that ensure ethical sourcing and employee rights creates a positive working envi- ronment, happy employees and loyal customers. It makes business sense to be sustainable! In fact, in the United Nations Global Compact-Accenture CEO Study this year, they noted that 93 per cent of CEOs believe that sus- tainability is important to the future success of their business." And does Ms Hornstein feel that this is progressing in Malta? "Every coun- try has committed to reaching the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, out- lined by the UN, by 2030," she says. "We are far from target and have a lot to do! But the good news is that there are many passionate people in Malta that are undertaking some very excit- ing projects that can help us to achieve some of our targets. It is time to talk about them and also to come together to share thoughts and discuss ideas about what else can be done." Hornstein goes on to say that: "There is a growing awareness in the world. People want change. People want to live in a clean, fair, prosperous, peace- ful world and our sustainability choic- es directly affect that. " So why, in her opinion, are events like the Malta Sustainability Forum so useful? "By coming together we can have more impact, we can pool ideas and constructively work together for a better future. Initiatives like the Malta Sustainability Forum create a platform for this to happen." Tickets to the Malta Sustainability Forum start at €20, including a net- working lunch. To view the full agenda and register for the Forum, please visit www.maltasustainabilityforum.com People want change How the Malta Sustainability Forum will help Malta's sustainability agenda We not only need to look at how our everyday choices are impacting our environment but also what we are doing to replenish resources