Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1501472
10 NEWS 15.6.2023 APS Bank removes charges on online SEPA payments, improves interest rates 20Twenty and Very Valletta achieve Travelife Partner level HSBC Malta Foundation hands out sustainability awards WITH effect from 1 June, 2023, APS Bank plc has removed its charges on online SEPA payments and introduced improved interest rates for the APS Online Account. This move, applicable for both existing and prospective custom- ers, reflects the Bank's unwavering commitment to offer a simple and personal banking experience. With these improvements, customers are no longer be- ing charged for either sending SEPA outward payments through myAPS or receiving funds through SEPA inward transfers. Similarly, fees are being removed for all new standing orders. Cor- porate customers will also no longer incur the transfer cost of SEPA direct credits for bulk file payments, or transaction costs of SEPA direct debits. The APS Online Account is now offering enhanced inter- est rates of 0.50% p.a. for the first €4,999.99, in- creasing to 1.00% p.a. for balances between €5,000 and €25,000. Anthony Buttigieg, Chief Banking Officer stated: "We felt that it was time to take our customer experi- ence to a new level, this time by removing charges and fees that come in the way of developing strong primary banking relation- ships. This is a decision of particular benefit to those who make or receive frequent payments, such as corporate customers." 20TWENTY and Very Valletta have been awarded the Travelife Partner level award, which recog- nizes the long-term efforts of the two entities regarding sustainabil- ity and Corporate Social Respon- sibility. 20Twenty is a Boutique Experi- ential Travel DMC which focuses on creating one-of-a-kind experi- ences for its visitors using the ide- as of sustainable and regenerative tourism. e company focuses on delivering intuitive service to its guests through crafting authentic and engaging experiences around our islands, showcasing their rich history, culture and traditions. Very Valletta, 20Twenty's brain- child, aims to be the natural choice for sustainable, conscious and ex- periential travel that celebrates our UNESCO recognized capital city of Valletta. 20Twenty and Very Valletta com- ply with more than 100 criteria, related to an operator's office man- agement, product range, interna- tional business partners and cus- tomer information. e Travelife Partner level standard is covering the ISO 26000 Corporate Social Responsibility themes, including environment, biodiversity, human rights, and labour relation. 20Twenty and Very Valletta par- ticipate in the EU-funded SUS- TOUR project that runs through 2023 and aims to promote sustain- ability among the European tour operator sector through a business led approach. e project supports over 600 small and medium-sized enter- prises from 35 European countries in improving their sustainability performance through training, coaching and peer-to-peer learn- ing opportunities. Naut Kusters, manager of Trav- elife for Tour Operators, said he was delighted to see that sustain- ability in the tour operator sector was gathering momentum. "e Partner awards of 20Twenty and Very Valletta will inspire other companies in Europe to follow the same path," he said. Sustainability Coordinator, Petra Galea Debono said she is optimis- tic that Maltese stakeholders in the tourism industry and tourists alike will adapt to this slightly altered version of travel. "e topic of sustainable tour- ism cannot be approached with a closed mind. You have to be able to see the grey and be open to making small but significant shifts in your mindset towards green travel," she said. "e hardest part of the process for the traveller, the tour operator and all stakeholders alike is acknowledging, accepting and adopting new methods of behav- iour. is is a journey society must now embark on that I am confident we will come to enjoy and respect." Travelife is the leading interna- tional sustainability certification for the travel sector. More than 35 national travel associations are promoting the scheme to their members including, SMAL, APA- VT, UHPA, ANVR, ABTA, PATA and more. HSBC Malta Foundation underpinned its commitment to sustainable entrepreneur- ship and workforce development in Malta through its support of two entrepreneurship programmes run by Junior Achievement Malta Foundation. e Company Programme is targeted for students aged 15 to17 and the Start-up Pro- gramme, for those students 18 and over. Both programmes, see several young companies competing for a chance to represent Malta at the Gen E Festival, Europe's largest youth entrepreneurship festival. Both programmes reached their culmination last month with the final round and awards ceremony, where the aspiring entrepreneurs showcased their projects. As part of the JA Worldwide Network - one of the world's largest and most impact- ful youth-serving NGOs - JA Malta delivers hands-on, immersive learning experiences in work readiness, financial capability, and entrepreneurship, among others. In addition to being one of the event's main sponsors, HSBC Malta also played a key role in judging the projects, while also award- ing a number of internships to participat- ing students. For the second year running, HSBC has sponsored two awards aimed at sustainability – the Green Entrepreneurship Awards and the ESG Sustainability Award. e HSBC Green Entrepreneurship Award recognised the team that presented the most innovative solution to a problem, and which best exemplified the principles of green entrepreneurship. e ESG Sustainability Award was won by the team that was able to incorporate the most sustainability strate- gies into their business. On the night, h2Lo and Możaic were crowned winners of their respective cate- gories, h2Lo with its innovative approach to marketing and distributing drinking bottles and Możaic with its adaptive clothing for children. JA Malta CEO, Matthew Caruana, thanked all collaborators of the event, including HSBC Malta Foundation. In a message to all the attendees Caruana said "Let us believe in the power of education. Let us create the changes we want to see. Let's give youths the much-needed self-efficacy".