Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1511621
10 NEWS 16.11.2023 GO has presented a €3000 sponsor- ship to the University of Malta's rac- ing team, UM Racing, a student-based voluntary organisation made up of around 25 students from different fac- ulties within the University of Malta. UM Racing is a research project that kicked off in 2012 to bring Univer- sity students from various faculties together and through shared knowl- edge, build a one-of-a-kind race car to compete in Formula Student compe- titions. As Malta's only Formula Student team, UM Racing represents Malta in international Formula Student com- petitions. Its last competition in Sil- verstone in the UK in 2022 was UM Racing's best performance ever, suc- cessfully placing 3rd overall out of 110 teams. UM Racing is currently building Malta's first fully electric race car with plans to compete in Italy or the UK in July of 2024. "We felt that the time was right to take this project to the next level and given the improved technology and performance of electric vehicles, we decided to move away from cars pow- ered by internal combustion engines and to focus for the first time on an electric racing car," explains Shaun Abela, President of UM Racing. "The design of our new race car in fact, will be based around an Emrax 208 motor which has over 100 horse- power and given that most Formula Student tracks are short and tight, good acceleration is necessary, some- thing that should be more easily ob- tained from the torque of an EV mo- tor," he added. "The excitement around the innova- tion of this project immediately cap- tured our interest to support UM Rac- ing because as a company driven by an innovative spirit, we felt very much aligned on many levels. As a Compa- ny we seek to support initiatives that fit within our corporate sponsorship strategy, which is based on four main pillars: education, digital excellence, connectivity and environmental sus- tainability," explained Mandy Calleja, Head of Corporate Communications at GO. "Therefore the fact that this project turned itself into an innovative meth- od of learning through applied prac- tice, bridging technology and educa- tion, with a greener outcome, whilst integrating the value of teamwork and collaboration, fully aligns with our values as a Company too. We are ex- cited to follow the team on this jour- ney and wish them every success," she said. GO supports University of Malta's EV racing team UM racing team to compete in Formula Student with electric racing car THE Malta Chamber of Commerce, En- terprise and Industry, and Willingness Hub have signed an alliance agreement to work together in proposing solutions and ideas that can enhance wellbeing at the place of work. "Wellbeing at the workplace is not just a mere trend; it's the key to unlocking the full potential of any business or or- ganisation. When people are supported, healthy, and engaged, they can achieve remarkable things and drive the success of both themselves and the company they work at," said Chris Vassallo Ce- sareo, e Malta Chamber President, ahead of the signing. rough this collaboration, with the involvement of e Malta Chamber Health and Wellness Committee, both parties will work on initiatives that put wellbeing at forefront and support businesses in implementing wellbeing practices in order to improve employ- ee health which in turn enhances pro- ductivity and team dynamics, reduces stress, increase employee retention and attracts talent. "I believe that by taking a leadership role in the Health and Wellness Com- mittee at e Malta Chamber, Willing- ness Team aims to strengthen mental health strategies into our business cul- ture. Our experience showed us that businesses thrive when they consider the holistic well-being of their teams. is is now more important than ever before, due to the prevalence of stress, anxiety, and burnout being present in the workplace. It's imperative to embed mental health into the very core of busi- ness strategies. In the current environ- ment, nurturing a resilient workforce is paramount. And who better to partner with than e Malta Chamber, which has consistently championed sustaina- ble business practices? Consequently, in the upcoming months, the Health and Wellness Committee will launch a se- ries of workshops and resources. ese will be tailored to foster a balanced, mentally astute, and resilient workforce. Members of e Malta Chamber will have the opportunity to leverage these resources, enhancing team well-being, boosting productivity, and paving the way for a thriving future," said Matthew Bartolo, Partner at Willingness Hub. e alliance agreement was signed by Chris Vassallo Cesareo and Dr Marthese Portelli, President and CEO of e Mal- ta Chamber respectively, and Matthew Bartolo, Partner at Willingness Hub. Promoting wellbeing at the workplace Matthew Bartolo, Partner at Willingness Hub (left), with Chris Vassallo Cesareo and Dr Marthese Portelli, President and CEO of The Malta Chamber respectively