Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1531934
9 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 29 JANUARY 2025 CULTURE DRIVEN by BNF's strategy to align its business success with social good, the Bank's management and team mem- bers came together in 2024 to deliver a year of impactful social initiatives, intended to empower communities and make meaningful change. Focusing on purposeful pro- jects that champion sustaina- bility, inclusion and commu- nity well-being, a number of local organisations enjoyed the support of the Bank, as different teams came forward to take an active role and cre- ate value where it matters most. From village gatherings like Festa Familja, Festa Gheneb and Ghodwa Agrarja, which saw regional branch teams reach out to the communi- ty and strengthen personal bonds, to events of national importance organised by In- spire, Hospice, Alive Founda- tion, Richmond Foundation, Europa Donna and the Mal- ta Community Chest Fund Foundation, the Bank sup- ported projects with long- term impact and benefits. With environmental sus- tainability as a key focus, the Bank took on green initia- tives, planting trees, joining clean ups and intensifying its efforts internally to reduce, re-use and recycle. Through the staff payroll donation to charitable or- ganisations and the monthly initiative #Yourcause, where employees pick local NGOs to support, the team, supported by BNF's management took every opportunity to leave their mark on causes close to their heart. These causes varied from supporting dis- advantaged members of the community, environmental issues, and animal NGOs. "Our core values of empa- thy, responsibility and am- bition are what inspire and motivate us to volunteer and support the many NGOs ac- tive in Malta," said Karl Ding- li, head of Human Resources, Properties & Administration Department. "We are grate- ful to our team members and partners for their efforts to make a positive difference in 2024. We remain committed to active corporate engage- ment with the ultimate aim to building a brighter future for our communities in 2025." BNF's year of purpose-driven corporate engagement THE Insurance Association Malta is calling on the author- ities to swiftly implement the necessary legal changes and equip police with the essential tools and training to conduct roadside drug testing. Drug-driving and road safety were the topics of a high-level meeting the Association had with the Police Commission- er and senior officials, where both sides reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining an open dialogue, exchanging views on key issues, and ex- ploring new opportunities for cooperation. Discussions centred on the importance of consistently en- forcing road traffic regulations, emphasising the fact that vis- ible enforcement was key to boosting public compliance and serving as a strong deter- rent. The Insurance Association reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the Malta Police, building on past contributions to road safety initiatives, such as the donation of breatha- lyser kits and other efforts to enhance the efficiency of road accident reporting. During the meeting, the As- sociation expressed its con- cern that police still lacked the means to effectively enforce the law against drug-driving, and pledged to continue col- laborating with the police. IAM also offered its support for the procurement of drug testing kits and any necessary training, as well as help on oth- er future initiatives. In turn, the Police Commis- sioner expressed appreciation for the Association's support and stressed that working in partnership with the communi- ty was a key aspect of the Malta Police's mission statement. He noted a significant im- provement in both the number and severity of road accidents in recent years, attributing this progress to initiatives aimed at better enforcement of road regulations. Among other achievements, the Police Commissioner high- lighted how the Malta Police Force had doubled the number of road-checks last year com- pared to 2023 and emphasised that these roadside inspections were held throughout the en- tire year. He welcomed the Associa- tion's offer for support, add- ing that the government's investment in the Force had in- creased significantly in recent years, enabling the police to be better equipped and trained. As an example, he referred to a specialised unit that would be set up to investigate and re- port on road traffic accidents, aimed at enhancing the quality of reports and increasing the success rate of prosecutions. On the subject of roadside drug testing, the Police Com- missioner said extensive re- search had been carried out on the best practices in other countries, and that detailed proposals have been submitted to the government outlining the necessary legal changes to make such testing effective. Urgent road safety reforms highlighted in talks between Insurance Association Malta and Police